Don't watch TV in Japanese!

Prior to planning the strategy of the Operation Listening-improvement (OLI), I've started watching all TV programs in English. If a program is provided only in Japanese, I wouldn't watch it.

Actually I've always thought I should have been doing that, but I wasn't able to resist watching Japanese TV programs...

It has been a few days since I started doing that, and I somehow feel my listening skills are improving a bit. (No way! haha)

However, I'm allowing myself to watch morning news in Japanese, because if I watched both morning and evening news in English, I couldn't understand details of important affairs in Japan and in the world.

By the way, I wonder why English in news is much easier to understand than in dramas and movies. Although I watch one drama several times, I understand just its outline. I'm sad that I always miss something subtleties. It can't be helped.

Anyway, my motivation is high at the moment. I'm sure that it will be up and down. haha.

Finally spring?

This winter was really cold. During the winter, greetings among people were "this winter is very cold." And recent greetings are "spring is slow to come this year."

But it seems spring is finally coming. I felt something spring smell today. Finally!

Operation Listening-improvement

Tim was kind enough to provide me with great information about sites on the comment column of the previous article, which can help improve English listening skills. Awesome!

Seeing those sites, I realized that listening English with seeing English subtitles is very useful to improve listening skills.

I think I should strategize how to improve my listening skills using those sites. It is called "Operation Listening-improvement." (Sorry for the exaggerated expression.)

Listening, listening, listening

My worst part about English has been listening skill. I can't improve it at all.

How can I improve my listening?

What should I do?

Movie: Sarah's Key

Before I watched the movie "Sarah's Key", I thought it was a war movie. But I was wrong.

Although it covers Vel' d'Hiv Roundup and Auschwitz, the theme is... hmm... about life, or more like decision or choice in the course of each life. Anyway, the theme is really really deep.

However, I tend to be focused on war-related parts. Whenever I see something about war, I wonder why human beings can be so cruel. I didn't know about Vel' d'Hiv Roundup. I planning to watch the movie "The Round Up." Both "Sarah's Key" and "The Round Up" are French movies.

3.11

It's been a year since the horrible earthquake and tsunami hit Japan.

About 340,000 people are in refuge life. And I realize many people still have a deep hurt.

Every TV station is broadcasting TV programs about the disaster almost all day. I got fed up with some of them, because they show the programs as if it's something like entertainment. The leading character is exactly famous reporters or newscasters and the stories were created too dramatically putting the casters at the center. Shame on you! (Especially Fuji TV!)

A couple days ago, I watched a documentary, which showed just videos that showed the real scenes. No too much narration, no any casters. It showed just facts. Because just after seeing it, the entertainment-like programs look a farce.

I'm now watching a TV program which features help by the US armies. As I wrote here about a year ago, their help was tremendously worthful and helpful. Thank you very much.

Prerogative vs. Presumptuous

Although meanings of "prerogative" and "presumptuous" are different at all, I often mix up them... Probably because I learned them almost the same time...