Any strange illness?

I think my cold has ALREADY been cured, but I can't stop coughing. Hmm... Why?...

I wonder if I may as well go to see a doctor.
I see how it is going for a while.

A bad cold and good news

I have a bad cold for about 2 weeks. No less than 2 weeks.

The throat is the weakest part in my body, so at first, I had a terrible sore throat. It really hurt. And now, I can't stop coughing. Whew...

I was in a restaurant in this evening. Suddenly I was hit by terrible coughing. Terrible. Agonizing, agonizing and queezy! Then I ran fast into the bathroom of the restaurant. I was in the bathroom for a while.

While I was agonizing, a good new has come. It was that a company gave me a formal offer. Wow!

My new job will start after the turn of the year.
Situation will be change much. For example, I have to catch up new technology which is very difficult and extensive. More importantly, conversation in the work is almost in English. Oops!

My new situation will be very hard. I will do my best and want to make 2008 a good year. But, as I wrote before, I value my health and personal life much more than my job.

In the mean time, can I get over my terrible cold as soon as possible?

Intensified English studying month

I decided to concentrate all my energies on intensive English studying this month.

I call it "intensified English studying month".

Finding a terrible mistake

I learned about the difference between "I don't care" and "I don't mind" from my English teacher today.

I had thought that those were the same! According to the teacher, "I don't care" is negative meaning. I always said "I don't care about -----" when I should have said "I don't mind about -----". Oops!

My situation is coming up a little.

As I wrote in my previous article, the bad things happened and I was in the gloomy feeling.

And not only my mental but also my body went bad.
When I took a bath yesterday, I felt sick and dizzy, and couldn't keep standing. Although I was washing my hair, I have to get out of a bath room in a hurry. Finally I vomit. I can't believe!

Hmm... body and mental are linked deeply. Or is it due to my lazy life?

But the sign of my situation's recovering is appearing.
Go for it, don't be lazy and grasp the good opportunity, Sand!

Gloomy again

I feel gloomy again because bad news happened. This time, it is more anger than gloomy.

Don't swallow what any companies do and say.

Ensure risk management unless things take hold.

Mini Kyoto trip Part 4 --- 2nd day-2 Toh temple

After Nishi-hongan temple, I went to Toh temple. It is also a World Heritage site.


There were only a few people as well as Nishi-hongan temple. Toh is very famous and known for its five-story pagoda. I wondered why there are few people. But it was best!


In the very wide beautiful garden, there are the five-story pagoda, some halls which are national treasures or national important cultural assets and so on.
Very beautiful! Look!!





Those scenes reminded me of my visit here when I was a student.

Oops! At the moment, my camera ran out of battery.
But, actually places I would see after that were all where photography was prohibited because of national treasures or national important cultural assets. Hmm... I wondered my camera had known that. Running out of battery was good timing. My camera worked until I needed it. Good job!

I entered some halls. There were many national treasures and so on. I reinforced the reality that Buddhism was from India.

The last in Toh temple was Kanchi-in. You can see old traditional Japanese house style. Beautiful garden which has meanings, living room, tea room, drawing room and so on.

I was really good to come to Toh temple. I recommend it strongly. You can see and feel atmosphere of all aspect of old traditional Japan just in there.

I had one feeling at there. It was often said in Japanese, but I don't know its English. Probably nothing. Direct translation is "I feel my heart is washed." I really felt it and said this sentence in my heart repeatedly in Kanchi-in. Then I found one hanging scroll. Surprisingly 2-kanji which means "my heart is washed" was written in the hanging scroll. What a coincidence!!

After all my sightseeing, I walked to Kyoto station. My legs were almost dying. It was good choice to go around Kyoto station that day instead of Suzumushi temple. If I had gone to Suzumushi temple, my legs would have run out of energy on the way, and I couldn't have seen Toh temple. Good choice!!

I want to visit Toh temple again when I come to Kyoto next time.

Mini Kyoto trip Part 3 --- 2nd day-1 Nishi-hongan temple

Next day, I was mulling which area I go. Before I came to Kyoto, I thought going to Suzumushi temple. But it is a bit far from Kyoto station, and according to a taxi driver, it is very very crowded.

I decided to go temples near Kyoto station. At first, Nishi-hongan temple.


This is Nishi-hongan temple which is a World Heritage site. There were few people around there, although Saturday. It was a far cry from Kiyomizu temple.


The entrance.


Going to inside, there were only a few people. I think this is the way temples should be. You can feel real temple's atmosphere.

Mini Kyoto trip Part 2 --- 1st day-2 Around Gion etc

After Kiyomizu temple, we tried to get to Yasaka shrine. On the way to the shrine...


Look! It is not a back lot of samurai drama. It's normal house. Wow! There are many houses like that in Kyoto. I feel as if I time-trip.


Maiko or Geiko. They are going to work.


Before we get to Yasaka shrine, we ran into this temple. Although it is in neighborhood of my friend, he said he hadn't seen and didn't know it. According to the guidebook, its name is Kennin temple and it seems to be famous. It was built in 1202 in imitation of one Chinese temple.


We finally arrived at Yasaka temple. It already got dark. This main building is a national important cultural asset. Gion festival at this shrine in summer is very famous.



After leaving from Yasaka shrine, we ran into this illuminated temple. Beautiful! I checked a map. It was Chion-in which is very very famous. We didn't intend to come to here, but it was very nice to encounter this beautiful Chion-in. Sorry but these photos cannot show its real fineness.


We walked and walked all day that day. Then we walked to downtown Kyoto.


Above photos are typical traditional Kyoto style restaurants. Those open on a river. What a nice atmosphere! But those are expensive. I want to come to one of them sometime.


My friend took me Ponto-cho. It is the street filled with Kyoto atmosphere, representing the evening in Kyoto. There are many kyoto-style restaurants on both side of this very narrow street. We tried to find a good restaurant but... there were TOO many people in Kyoto that day. Almost all of the restaurants were full, and long lines. We had already walked a lot to see temples and shrines, but we had to continue to walk to find a restaurant. Walking, walking, but we couldn't find. So in the meantime, we went to an Irish pub. We had a tipple and played foosball. It was the first time for me to play it. Hmm... a bit difficult.

Then we went to Ponto-cho again and tried to find a restaurant... but... we couldn't. We ended up going to izakaya. My legs were very tired because of walking too much and I couldn't walk fast any more.

After that, we met my friend's friend at the Irish pub, and we played foosball again. I was excited!!

After coming back to my hotel, I massaged my legs in a bath. Thank you for too long walking all day, dear my legs. haha.

Thanks to my friend, I really enjoyed Kyoto. (and even foosball. haha) Thank you my friend!

Mini Kyoto trip Part 1 --- 1st day-1 Kiyomizu temple

I went on an overnight trip to Kyoto. I chose the top season of autumn leaves so it was hard to book a hotel. I could find one hotel with difficulty. But according to news, autumn leaves season in Kyoto was very late this year. Oh, no!

I left Tokyo station around 9:00am. The station was very crowded because of three-day weekend.

I arrived at Kyoto station around 11:30am and went to my hotel. My friend who lives in Kyoto came to the hotel to pick me up.

We left for Kiyomizu temple first. We took a taxi but the taxi didn't move because a road to Kiyomizu temple was very crowded. So we got off the taxi on the way.

This is the street to Kiyomizu temple. Too many people!! My friend told me many souvenir shops on both sides of this street had a lot of samples, and we ate those, such as Yatsuhashi which was Kyoto's famous sweet food and Japanese pickles.


My Picture in front of Kiyomizu temple. Kiyomizu temple is a World Heritage site.


She is meeting many tourists' request to take a picture with them.


Let's go inside of Kiyomizu temple.


Three-story pagoda which is a national important cultural assets


I was worried about late autumn leaves. But it was pretty good. It was beautiful.


Really beautifu------l!!!


Really really beautiful!! And really too many people.


There was Momiji (autumn leaves) festival at Jishu shrine in kiyomizu temple. This shrine is famous for love knot so many young girls came.





Me with a beautiful scene in the background. Actually I was with my friend in this photo. But I don't ask him whether I can put his photo on my blog so I trimmed away his part.


This is Otowa waterfall in Kiyomizu temple. You have to stand in lo--ng line to reach the fall. People on front of the photo are in the middle of the line. Can you believe it?


On the way back. We didn't move because of many people. Too many people. I know Kiyomizu temple is one of the most popular temple for sightseeing. But... too many. People were saying that they haven't seen such a crowded Kiyomizu temple.

Try to blow the gloom

I will go to Kyoto next weekend. My friend lives in Kyoto and I will meet him too. I'm looking for that.

OK, I arrange the plan of my mini-trip to Kyoto and try to blow my gloomy feeling!

GLOOMY

I'm depressed very much. The cause is my laziness. I'm really disgusted with my terrible laziness.

Self-hatred.

And what is worse, some people informed things that annoyed me.

Sigh...

Report Card

6 months has passed since I started going to the English conversation school. And I received an assessment. It's like the report card. How many years have passed since I received the report card? haha.

According to the assessment, my English level has improved a bit. A bit. And my weakest is listening as ever. That's to be expected.

The assessment is with recommendations from my teachers. In accordance with those, I will replan my English study.

Romanian cuisine

I found a Romanian restaurant in my neighborhood. Romanian food?

There are various kind of restaurants in Tokyo. Probably there is no food we cannot eat in Tokyo. But Romanian restaurant is very rare. I don't know what is Romanian food and had never eaten it.

I went to the restaurant to have lunch. It was garnished with many folk goods, all staff were not Japanese (I don't know if they are Romanians though), BGM sounded folk music (I'm not sure it though).

I ordered "Friptura de porc la gratar cu legume". Price is 1,000yen which is an average lunch fee in the center of Tokyo, but VERY big portion. Salad, soup with a lot of vegetables (only the soup was enough for me), bread and large main dish! So 1,000yen is very reasonable. But it was too much for me. So at first I thought I shouldn't have eaten bread, but the bread seemed to be a bit different from others, such as French bread, so I tried to eat it, my tummy was very full though. It was high density and moist. I wonder it is Romanian bread?

After finishing eating main dish, I was full to burst and waiting a cup of coffee. Before coffee, unexpectedly cake was served. What!? I love sweet food... but...

Of course I ate the cake. hehe.

I found other dishes I wanted to eat next time, but I wonder if I can eat too big dishes again.

Christmas season has come.

Starbucks have already decorated their shops and started Christmas menu.

I tried to order one of them, "Creme Brule Latte".

Soon after the Halloween, Christmas decoration starts throughout the town in Japan.

Finally, Christmas season has come. It is a pity that Autumn I like will finish soon, but I'm excited to be able to see beautiful Christmas illuminations!

Feeling something

Suddenly, I felt kind of melancholy or dreary a little. I wonder why? Because it's autumn? haha.

Globish

I read an article about Globish. I hadn't heard about it since.

Globish is an abbreviation of Global English, and it was made for non-native English speaker and the number of vocabulary is just 1500. Its sentence is short, only basic grammar, and it is used with visual expression, such as gestures. So it is easier to it can reduce the time and energy to acquire.

Jean-Paul Nerriere, who is the former deputy president of IBM made it. He is a French. When he worked for IBM and had communication with people who were from many countries, what he was not good at was talking with native speakers, because they used complicated grammar or uncommon idioms. But the number of non-native speaker was greater than native speaker. Therefore, he created Globish. After that, people could have communication fully with Globish in IBM.

And according to this article, a person who works for a foreign company said that she worked in the multinational situation and people who spoke incomprehensible English were British. They spoke too fast, and if they had an accent, English of non-native speakers was easier to understand.

Mr. Narriere also told media that he could have communication with Japanese easier than American.

This article concluded with the following words;
Amid the globalization of human resources, there is situation that native speakers should master English that is understood by non-native speakers.

Anyway, I always think it was good that Japanese didn't become a global common language instead of English. It is hard to learn Japanese. Of course there are many languages that are much more difficult than Japanese though.

The most livable city in the world

According to a survey by an American consulting firm, the ranking of the most livable cities in the world is as follows.

1. Zurich (Switzerland)
2. Geneva (Switzerland)
3. Vancouver (Canada)
4. Vienna (Austria)
5. Auckland (New Zealand)
6. Dusseldorf (Germany)
7. Frankfurt (Germany)
8. Munich (Germany)
9. Berne (Switzerland)
10. Sydney (Australia)

Hmm... many European cities. What's surprising to me is that many German cities were ranked. I see. Tokyo is best for me though. haha.

By the way, writing cities' name is difficult. I didn't know most of spelling of those cities and I had to refer to a dictionary.

Delicious Salmon!!

I love sushi, or more like sashimi.

I went to a sushi restaurant today. (I often go.) Needless to say, TASTY! Especially I love salmon!! I'm really happy to be born a Japanese.

Yummy!!

The failure of NOVA

Japan's biggest English conversation school, NOVA went bankruptcy. It might be a matter of course.

NOVA's lesson fee per a lesson is cheaper than others'. Instead of that, students have to pay 3 year's fee in advance. 3 years! Now, it is impossible that the students get reimbursed the fee. Terrible.

Any native speakers can be NOVA's teacher easily, if they graduated college of university, even if they have no experience of teaching. Almost all of the teachers didn't have experience of teaching English. They are just native speakers. Just it. I never want to pay for studying from such a teacher.

NOVA's teachers lost their job. According to the news, they haven't got paid for 2 months. I think it is hard for them to find a new job. No job in a foreign country... I am very sorry about their anxious situation.

All students have paid

New PC FINALLY!!

My new PC finally arrived!! Wow!! It arrived ahead of schedule.
I thought I had bought smaller one, but it was a bit bigger than I thought.

Anyway I would be freed from going to an internet cafe?

Let me introduce my new PC!

Happy Birthday to Me

New Cell Phone

I changed a cell phone company, because service of my previous cell phone company was too bad on many kind of aspects.

So of course I had to change mobile equipment. Usually I chose equipment for its design, but at this time, I chose for one function. It is camera function.

Yes, all cell phones have camera function. But my new cell phone's is different from others'. Casio's EXILIM is attached the cell! It already is not a cell phone. It is more like a digital camera.This camera function is much better than my old digital camera. Haha. I haven't used that perfectly yet...

As I wrote on this blog the other day, I want my life to be simple. I don't want to have too much things. So in this time, I avoided to have both two peaces of equipment, camera and cell.

Buying new computer

I decided to buy new computer.
I often wrote about my computer on this blog. It doesn't work well, more like it is almost broken. Finally I became unable to connect to networks. My computer can't recognize its network port. So I go to an internet cafe recently. My computer has no decent parts now.

I went to an electronics retail store the day before yesterday to buy a computer. Actually I wanted to avoid buying Dell or HP, because I have an image that those PCs are for companies. Almost all companies in Japan use Dell or HP computers.
But, I ended up choosing Dell, because of its price. Dell's computers are a bit cheaper than others.

Unfortunately, it takes 2 weeks to receive the computer, because it's Dell. I have to continue to go to an internet cafe for a while.

I wonder why atmosphere of internet cafe is unsoundness.

Too insistent the possessive in English

I might have written a article of such a theme before. I always feel that about "Whose" is mentioned TOO much in English.
For example;

[They gave their teacher a big boquet of flowers for her birthday.]

Why do we need to say "their" and "her"? That's obviously her birthday. Who gives someone a birthday present for OTHER'S birthday?

[He took off his glasses.]

The glasses he wears is of course HIS glasses. Why do we need to say "his" specially? We can say it only when he wore OTHER'S glasses and took it off.

[He divorced his wife.]

It is impossible to divorce OTHER'S wife!!!

24 Season 5

Broadcasts of 24 season 5 started on TV this week, it is midnight as ever though.

Unfortunately, Michelle, who is my most favorite character in 24, died in the first an hour. It was pity!

Personally speaking, the season 1 is best. 24 is becoming humdrum. The season 5 is very monotonous and dull. I can see what to expect easily. (I tend to be able to see what to expect even in other dramas and movies though.)
In the season 1, there were much unpredictable quality, surprising and speed.
It ran out of topics?

Giants' championship victory

Giants won the Central League title for the first time in 5 years!!! The first time in 5 years... It's been a long time for us who are fans. Giants is like Yankees in the MLB. I mean they are supposed to win, they must win. Giants is such a traditional team. So players of Giants also said unanimously that it had been a long time.

Giants' front office removed Mr. Hara from Giants' manager and assigned another OB of Giants, then Giants couldn't win while he was the manager. Mr. Hara came back to the manager and finally Giants won the championship. It was really good, it took a roundabout way due to misjudgment of the front office though.

I hope they will win in the Japan Series. Go for it!!

Pilates

I started going to pilates class. Yesterday was the first class.

Unlike yoga, pilates is exercise to develop body trunk. And focusing attention on internal body is important. "Focusing attention" is common to pilates and yoga. It's a bit difficult.

Compared with yoga, it is not problem so much whether body is flexible or not. My body is VERY hard.

Class is for an hour. But I was very tired after class. Very tired. I felt dull. I thought there was much effect and I would feel muscle pain next day. But... I don't felt it today. Hmm... But I feel muscle pain of my neck a little. Neck? Why??

This class takes place alternate week. I think at least once a week is necessary. Of course every day is best though.

The Ultimate Simplify

I like "simple". Simple is best. I always try to be simple around me. My favorite book is "Simplify your life" written by 2 Germans. I always try not to have too many things. I often throw things away. (Sometimes I regret to have thrown away though. haha.) But stuff is increased. To be simple is difficult. If stuff is increased even a little, I am not comfortable.

Now, I decided to address BIG "to be simple". I throw things away and have the bare minimum needed to live, then I will add only things I really need. I already have thrown many many things, such as clothes and furniture. Actually it costs to even throw things away, such as bulk trash.

I wrote on the article before that I changed my mind. I decided to give low priority to job and cherish my personal life. And the ultimate simple. I am reborn.

Reborn Sand！！

Date-Megane

I bought "Date-Megane" the other day. "Date-Megane" means... Megane means glasses. Date-Megane is kind of glasses for fashion or fake glasses?

I wanted that for a long time. I wear it when no make-up. Haha.

Aleppo Soap

One of olive soaps, "Aleppo Soap" has been popular among Japanese women now.
It is handmade soap from Aleppo in Syria.

I was looking for a good face-wash. I have just run out of my face-wash so I tried to buy Aleppo Soap yesterday. Because I used it just one time last night, I don't know if it is good yet. I'll continue to use it and see how it works.

I intend to use it not only as face-wash but also as body-wash. Actually I have heard that it is also good for hair. Using soap as shampoo? Hmm... I have never washed my hair with soap though. I'll try to do tonight.

Movie: Ratatouille

I went to a movie theater to watch the movie "Ratatouille".
It was very fun movie. I laughed some times during the movie.

I also watched Monsters Inc. before. It was the second time I watched the animation movies in a movie theater. Actually I don't like animation movie so much. I don't know why but I thought I tried to go to see this movie when I saw its advertisement, just like Monsters Inc.

When I watched Monsters Inc., I was impressed with not only its story but also its graphics. And I realized that graphics technology improved very much in this time. Sometimes rats looked like real ones. Before watching the movie, I thought only one rat would appear. But contrary to my expectations, there were many many rats. Too many. "Too many" is one of my hate things. So when many rats, which looked like real, appeared in the screen, I felt unpleasant. And I remembered big rats in the New York subway.

The story was very good.

My pronunciation of "TION"

One of my English teacher point out my pronunciation of "TION", such as station and condition. According to him, I say, kind of "shone". I practice this pronunciation repeatedly, but once I start conversation, I say "shone" unconsciously. In addition, I say con of condition "cone". So my pronunciation of condition is "CONEDISHONE".

I need to repeat these right pronunciations over and over again.

Changing my mind a little

I decided to change my mind a little.
I lower the priority of job in my life. I value my personal life more. One of things I want to do is doing activities to help poor children in the world. But I couldn't do anything because almost all of my time was occupied by working. It was difficult even to spend decent life.

Go back to my original thinking that job is just one way to get money.

Just for a change, I had my hair cut. I had worn my hair long for a long time. I tried to wear my hair short. It's been about a month since I had my hair cut though.

It has been already over one month since I had my hair cut. So my hair has gotten long.

Meeting my friend

I met my friend the other day. He lives in Kyoto and came to Tokyo to attend a conference. The last time I met him was about a year and a half in Osaka. (He lived in Osaka at that time.)

He is a researcher. He develops new ideas and makes presentation about those at conferences worldwide. That's great!

I hope I can visit him in Kyoto next time. I wonder if the season for autumn leaves is good for visiting Kyoto. I must be very beautiful. He said he would go to Portugal to attend a conference in November though.

Long time not see.

It's been a long time since I updated blog last. Almost 3 months past.
There are many things during that. I was too busy to death.

I wrote my last article before I left for New York. So, first of all, I write about my business trip to New York.

Terrible. It was really terrible. I was busy even in New York. I intended to do some sightseeing when I had time, but I couldn't do anything. I just came and went between my hotel and a company every day. Times Square, Fifth Avenue, Central Park... it was possible to go to those sightseeing spot on foot from my hotel. In spite of such a good location of my hotel, I couldn't go to those spots.

I mentioned before, I couldn't prepare for the conference and especially my presentation in Tokyo because of too busy. So I did those things in my hotel but of course there was enough time to do that. Most of the time other than being in the company, I worked in my hotel. Terrible.

The company located in Wall Street. Real Wall Street is much different from my image of it. It was just narrow and short street. Haha.

Wall Street
My impression of New York is... Hmm... As I said, I didn't see New York so much, but at least I don't want to live in New York. I often hear many people say that New York is very nice and they want to live. Town is dirty and dark compared with Tokyo. I found BIG rats in the subway. I can't believe!! And why is there no air conditionar in the subway stations? Too hot. I realized again that Tokyo is nice!

But there is one good thing. Airplane. It was business-class trip. Business-class environment has MUCH improved since I traveled in business-class last. Airlines concentrate on improving business and first class environment. But I think those are enough, more like too much. I always think they should improve couch-class. That is terrible. Sometimes people died from economy-class syndrome.

The following photo was taken on the observation deck of Rockefeller Center on the day I arrived at New York. Rockefeller Center is very close to my hotel. Till I could check in the hotel, I stopped by there. It was almost only sightseeing?

Business trip to New York without any preparation

Finally, I leave for New York on business from now.
I'm SO tired from work. Busy busy and busy. Then I had no time to prepare for my business trip. I couldn't prepare for my presentation, checking topics of agenda. (Ma--ny agenda.)
And I even didn't packing. I came back to my home from work midnight and then I started packing. Finally it was finished and it is about 5am now. Whew...
I need to work on airplane and at a hotel.

Anyway, I sleep just 20 minutes from now and then I will go to New York.

Busy life is continuing...

I'm too busy working as ever and this week went by with a lighting speed again.

It has been no less than 3 weeks after moving.
Look! There are still cardboard boxes, and no curtain in my place. The curtain is one of things you buy first... at least I think so.


My window is very wide compared with normal windows in typical Japanese apartments. So ready-made curtain doesn't fit. I must buy custom-made one. I have no time to look for good curtain.

I will go to New York on business the end of this month. I hope my current terrible situation change to normal life by that.

The Internet connection

It took about 2 weeks from my moving. And finally I had the Internet connection at home! So I put an article for a long interval.

While this 2weeks, I was (and am) very very very busy working, and I was (and am) sparing much time to study English. I go to the English school every day after work. I focus the preparation for conducting the training in English.

So I haven't unpacked yet...

Too busy work, hard studying English and moving. Triple matters put me under time pressure every day.

Current my life isn't decent human life...

When I finish coordinating my new room, I put its photo!

New place!

I moved yesterday!
It's my new room before carrying my stuff in.



I like my new room for some reason. One of them is the view from the window!



Unfortunately, the photo isn't clear so I can't show you real wonderful view.

I haven't unpacked yet.



I'm too busy at work so it seems that I spend days in these messy cardboxes for a while.