"Capable / Capability"

I learned the word "capable / capability" recently, then I found those word are often used in the news, TV drama and the movies, which means in the native speaker's conversation.

Hmm... I wonder if those are polite and formal words. What is different from "ability"?

Japan is in tropical area?

Hurricane Gustav is closing New Orleans and New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin ordered a mandatory evacuation of the city. It is said that Gustav might become bigger than Katrina.

One resident says that hurricane comes every year, but it getting bigger year after year.

Recently terrible heavy rain attacks all around Japan, and it is called "guerilla heavy rain."

In Tokyo, it's been raining for the last a week. It's like rainy season seemingly but type of rain is a bit strange.

It's torrential heavy rain in a short time. Such type of rain happens all around Japan recently
After short torrential rain, the sun comes up, then soon it starts rain terribly. It's like the climate of the Tropics. It must be due to global warming. Japan will be included into tropical area sometime.

By the way, I don't think it good idea that the US names hurricanes human names. Hurricanes usually cause huge damage. For example hurricane Katrina, all people whose name is Katrina must feel bad.

Pronunciation of "cooperation"

Today I was taking English dictation as usual and there was a sentence "I want to cow operate with you". I wondered what was "cow operate" then I found the correct pronunciation of "cooperation."

Oops! I had thought that the pronunciation of "cooperation" was "kuu pa ration", and I had said so for a lo--ng time.

Not only my English but also my mental ability?

In my English TV program lineup which I watch for learning English, there are some for kids.
Those are sometimes boring. It can't be helped. Those are for kids, or toddlers.

But, "Handy Manny" is a bit different. I don't know why but I'm enjoying its story and I always look forward to the next story.

A leading character Manny is a fixer, and his tools are talking and they are very cute.
Manny is probably a Hispanic American, so he and people around him sometimes speak Spanish. But What I can understand are just "hola", "adios" and "gracias". Haha.

As well as other TV characters, it seems that there are Handy Many toys.
Look! It's the tools set! I want that!

Not only my English but also my mental ability is the same as children.

My bad listening comprehension #14

"It costs more to stay in the hospital for two days than it would to stay in the most luxurious hotel four night."

I see. But I thought it was a bit strange to comparing staying 2days and 4 days. In this case, it should be compared between 1 day and 2 days, right?

But, the correct sentence is...
It's not "four night", but "a fortnight."

I heard the word "fortnight" for the first time.Why does only "2 weeks" have another word? How about 3 weeks or 4 weeks?

My hearing wrong of the past:
http://sandfriend.blogspot.com/2008/08/my-bad-listening-comprehension-13.html

The evaluation of Beijing Olympics by other countries media.

The article about the evaluation of Beijing Olympics by other countries media has been placed.
I try to translate it.

"China committed to increasing the freedom of expression, improvement of human-rights issue and so on when its Olympic bid. We now found those were lies."
The Washington Post criticized China's behavior on their editorial titled "In-jail Olympics." They also say, "China also got the gold medal in REPRESSION."

"The Chinese government got the success of the Olympics without offering any concessions." The New York Times criticized the IOC's coward attitude toward China. They also say Bush and other leaders should tell China that China's breach of the policy pledge of the Olympics wouldn't be ignored and forgotten.

The Daily Telegraph says, "Who can remember the opening ceremonies of Athens, Atlanta, Sydney or Seoul? Things which happened in the athletics track field, the swimming pool and other competition sites are never disappear from people's memories.

Whew... It's hard to translate news articles...

By the way, I'd like to go to London to see the Olympics 4 years later. London says, unlike Beijing, they wouldn't hold the Olympics for boosting national prestige. Yes, it's right. It's the right Olympics. I'm looking forward to the London Olympics, I've heard that there are many British people who don't like Japanese though. OK, OK, I don't mind.

"Appendix"

An example sentence;
A friend of mine had his appendix out and it cost $12,000.

Speaking of "appendix", it's a thing attached additionally, such as something in the last of books.

I didn't know it has the meaning of typhlon.
Hmm... Typhlon is a kind of additional thing in human body. I see.

By the way, the operation for appendicitis costs no less than $12,000!? It's too expensive! I checked its cost in Japan. It's about 300,000 - 400,000 yen. (2,721 - 3,628US$, 1,860 - 2,480EUR.)
I can't be sick in the US!

"China is not qualified to host the olympics." by a Olympics uncle

I think the closing ceremony is much more wonderful than the opening ceremony. I fall asleep during watching the opening ceremony...

There is a Japanese called "Olympics uncle". He has been cheering ALL summer Olympics ON SITE since the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. He appears most of all games sites in noticeable costume.
It's a kind of his pastime but in a sense, he is the person who knows Olympics best.

Surprisingly, he has come back to Japan before the Olyimpics finishes in this time. He says it's the first time he hasn't been there until the closing ceremony.
What happened?

He talks about the Beijing Olympics;
Although there were many unoccupied seats, many Japanese couldn't enter the competition site of judo. He urged to have them enter but it didn't work. Such a thing is the first time of his experience in Olympics for about half a century.
Chinese booing was terrible. He has never seen such Olympics. They are not qualified to host the Olympics. And the air was so bad, so I have a sore throat.

I'm glad that Wansiru won.

Samuel Kamau Wansiru won the gold medal in the men's marathon in a new Olympics record.

He is Kenyan, but I'm very grad as if a Japanese won.
He went to high school in Japan, and participated in high school ekiden and made good results.
After graduated from high school, he joined a company in Japan and became a member of its track and field team.

So, he speaks Japanese fluently.
In the interview from a Japanese, he was asked, "what did you learn in Japan?" he answered, "Patience. So I could win today."

Hmm... yes, it's Japanese line.

Wansiru in high school days

Hugh McCutcheon made it!

Today is the final day of the Beijing Olympics.
The final game of the men's volley ball and the strongest team Brazil was defeated, by American team led by Hugh McCutcheon. Wow!
http://sandfriend.blogspot.com/2008/08/american-volley-team-coach-hugh.html

I can't believe! Japan got a bronze medal in the 400m relay!

The final race of the men's 400m relay took place just now, and Japan finished in 3rd place!

When an American team and a Britain team were disqualified from the first heat, a Japanese commentator said the Japanese team had a chance of winning a medal.
I thought, "No way!"

It's miracle for Japanese to win in a short-distance sprint. Besides, an ace sprinter Suetsugu is in bad form in this Olympics.

It's a historic affair for Japan!

By the way, I wonder what's different between "historic" and "historical".

My bad listening comprehension #13

In a dialogue about life insurance, they talks about several life insurance frauds.

"In fact, some have actually faked on dance."

Faking on dance? What people fake about dancing? And what relation is there between dance and insurance frauds?

The correct sentence is;
"In fact, some have actually faked their own deaths."
Geh--!
Own deaths <---> on dance.

And I couldn't catch "their". Actually this sentence continues.
"In fact, some have actually faked their own deaths, and others tried to kill their spouses or burn their houses in order to collect."

I couldn't catch all 3 "their". And "their" sometimes sounds like "neir".

My hearing wrong of the past:
http://sandfriend.blogspot.com/2008/07/my-bad-listening-comprehension-12.html

It was a good job opportunity though.

As I wrote on this blog, I'm looking for the opportunity that I can work overseas. (ref: http://sandfriend.blogspot.com/2008/06/before-working-abroad.html) So I sometimes have interviews with some companies which agents introduced to me.

I had an interview with one company last month. When the agent introduced it to me, I thought it might have been a bit different from what I want to do. But having the interview, I thought it a good opportunity for me and hoped it was going well.

The next day of the interview, the interviewer who is manager and a direct boss of the position informed through the agent that she wanted to talk with the head of APAC region who would be the next interviewer after he/she would come back from vacation at the biginning of August.

In the middle of this month, the agent told me that she talked to the manager I had the interview with, and the vacation of the head of APAC region was until 18th and after that they would talk.

But I still haven't any feedback. It's almost a month since I had the interview. So I decided if I don't receive any feedback by the end of this week I will decline.

I've always thought that a company, which can't make a quick response and can't make a quick decision, can't survive a competitive business world. Because, due to their late response and late decision making, they misses a lot of good business chance and even good human resources. Oh, it's me? Hehe.

My tiny luck

Tully's was running a kind of summer campaign the last month. Shop staffs were passing out application forms to customers.

All customers do is filling in their name and giving it to the staffs. I did.

I got a parcel from Tully's today. It was a tumbler. Oh, I seem to have won it in the campaign.

In the situation that bad things go on around me recently, a small good thing happened. But is it OK to use my little luck for such a thing?

Hmm... I don't like this design so much... I will use it in my office.

A monkey appears in the heart of the city

Yesterday, a security guard found there was a monley in Shibuya station. Shibuya is center of Tokyo and where many people gather. Why monkey is...

Kitajima butcher shop is booming

Parents of Kosuke Kitajima, the gold medalist in the breaststrokes, are running a butcher shop.

After he got two gold medals with one world record, many people are going to visit the shop.

A long line in front of the shop

By the way, I heard that the specialty of the shop is menchi-katsu (mince cutlet) and it is Kitajima's favorite food.

Too fast Jamaican!

Usain Bolt got the gold medals in both the 100-meter and 200-meter sprints in the world records. It's fast. Too fast. Look!Although the above is the final race, he won by a BIG margin.

In the women's 100-meter sprint, Jamaicans monopolized the podium.
According to Reuters, Jamaican Prime Minister is considering setting up a national holiday.

Today is Bolt's Birthday and he became 22 years old. Still 22 years old?! He doesn't look like so young though...

American volley team coach Hugh McCutcheon, family of the victims

The last game of the first round of men's volley ball, Japan vs. the US is now taking place.

American couple, the husband was killed and the wife was seriously injured by a Chinese in Beijing on 9th, is family of the coach of the US, Hugh McCutcheon.
The couple is parents of a player of the US international team at the Athens Olympics. Hugh McCutcheon is her husband.

So current players of the women national volley ball team of the US know her well and they are also terribly shocked.

It was an unprecedented incident regarding in Olympics history.

Go on and win, American team!

The coach, Hugh McCutcheon giving direction in the time-out

Liu Xiang withdrew from the competition

It's incredible for Chinese. A men's 110-meter hurdles athlete, Liu Xiang couldn't participate in the race due to injury, although he once stood at the start line.

It must be thrown into a commotion in China.
It is leading to a lot speculations. Many people are saying that his injury isn't real. I'm not sure but it's for certain that Chinese people are terribly shocked.

Usually 2 races are taken place a day in the hurdles. But in this time, just a race per day. The 1st elimination, 2nd elimination, the semifinals, and the finals. 4 days. It is said that the reason is China wanted Liu Xiang to show up as many as possible. A commentator said that most athletes aren't used to "a race a day", so it might not be good for their conditions. But China changed just because...

But Liu Xiang left from the Beijing Olympics without any races.

Liu Xiang getting set to start the race

Monster Michael Phelps made new legend

The last race, the men's 400m medley relay took place and American team won.

An American swimmer Michael Phelps achieved getting 8 gold medals in the Beijing Olympics. What an incredible deed!

Many athletes are expected to win gold medals, but achieving that is not easy. Some of them missed it. But Phelps carried out as expected. 8 gold medals! Besides, 7 of 8 are the world records!

I understood he was an outstanding swimmer. But he participated in races almost every day. How strong physical strength he has. And it's usually very hard to keep motivation. Hmm... Indeed, he is a monster.

The US team which won the gold medal in the men's 400m medley relay
from left; Peirsol, Hansen, Phelps, Lezak

Japanese team got the bronze medal in the men's 400m medley relay. Good job!

Kitajima, who is thrown into the pool by his team mates after finishing all swimming races

Suddenly autumn?

It was very hot humid weather every day, but today, it's quite cool. The weather forecast says it's like almost autumn. In fact, I felt even cold this morning. What happened?

Such a climate is big welcome, if it isn't one of abnormal climate.

Prefix of antonym

In English, opposite words have "un", "in" "dis" or "non" in the biginning of its word, such as "unstable", "incredible", "disregard", "nonblank" and so on. I think there are more... Why does it depend on the word? Please get everything from one prefix!

In my previous article, I wanted to write an antonym of "mature". First I wrote "unmature" but there was no such a word. Hmmm... Then finally I found. It was "immature". Ahhh---! It's "im", not "in"?
Uhh, another prefix...

Great top athletes

Japanese soccer team was defeated consecutive 3 games. They had to leave the Olympics without a win.
It's not surprising. The level of Japanese soccer is quite low.

I found the site by chance. A lot of bashing and booing against Japanese soccer team are written in the site. Mainly it accuses the team's terrible performance, team's coach and a player who is Keisuke Honda.

I don't know him, because I'm not interested in Japanese soccer. (But I like European soccer. It's fun because its level is much higher than Japan.)
He is accused of his terrible performance and his BIG MOUTH. And many people say to him on the site, "Get away from the national team".
I don't know his play but judging from some his interviews, BIG MOUTH is true and his personality is childish and immature.

Whenever watching international competitions, I can't help admiring personality of top athletes. They have not only high level skills as an athlete but also high level mind.
To become one of the top athletes in the world and to keep its position, just having excellent athletic ability is not enough. Great mind is also necessary.
That's why Japanese soccer players can't become top-level players, or, their mind is silly because their level as an athlete is very low?

As it was mentioned in the comments of my article, a Japanese judo athlete, Ryoko Tani has such great mind. She kept being in the top position for quite a long time.

I think a Chinese judo athlete Dongmei Xian, who won 2 consecutive gold medals in the women's judo 52kg category, is also such a person.
I'm not familiar with her but I feel her personality is great.
I heard that she is a national heroine, respected and popular in China. She is probably the same age as Tani and both of them are mother.
Dongmei Xian always smiles except during matches. After the match, she looks like expressing concern for a defeated opponent.
She always smiles, but when the Chinese flag was been raising, she was moved to tears. She must be overcoming a lot of difficulties. But such a person is usually smiling and never says negative things.

But, there are a lot of exceptions, although they are top athletes.
The IOC announced that they decided the disqualification of Ara Abrahamian, who placed 3rd in the Graeco-Roman, and taking away his bronze medal.
He fiercely protested against the judges about the call, and threw the bronze medal away.

I'm evaporating!

It's hot, very hot, TOO hot yesterday and today.
Meeting with someone, everyone says, " it's very hot today." by way of greeting.

A polar bear in a zoo is also getting knocked down?

There is a winner. It means there is a loser.

Keiji Suzuki, judo 100kg category, was defeated at the first-round match, by ippon. He was also defeated at the first match of the consolation tournament, by ippon.

He won the gold medal in the over 100kg category at the Athens Olympics, and was one of Japanese athletes who were expected to win the gold medal this time. Especially I thought his wining was for sure.

After losing at the consolation match, he couldn't stand up for a long time, quite long time. It was heart-wrenching and I couldn't go on watching him.

Behind delighted winners, there are losers. When I watch sports games, I tend to focus losers unconsciously. I can't help thinking of things about them, especially about what they have been doing for the competition.

Keiji Suzuki crouching on the floor

too, then, three?

In an American drama;

Girl A: I think bla bla bla.
Girl B: Me, too.
Small girl: Me, three.

Huh? I thought it was just her joke.

The other day, in other American cartoon on TV;

Person A: I can do. (Actually I don't remember well the sentence.)
Person B: I can do, too.
Person C: I can do, three.

Oh, it wasn't the small girl's joke. Is it said occasionally?
Or I wonder if I misunderstand. Three isn't three but other word?

How many times? An incident again and again in China

Near the site of Olympics, the Beijing law enforcement authority detained a British journalist and also took 8 activists of Tibetan problem.

The activists were detained as soon as starting a protest. Their whereabouts after detaining is unknown. S, s, scary!

According to AFP (not Xinhua. So this info is reliable), the British journalist tried to take pictures of the activists, then the police held on his arms and forced him down on the ground. He was released after 20 minutes but he injured his arms and he said;
"This is a threat. I was infuriated from the bottom of my heart."

On the request of the IOC, the Chinese government is committed that people can do any media activities freely in China during the Olympics. But, on 10th, a Japanese journalist, who was covering the bombing incident in Hsinchiang Uighur Autonomous Region, was also detained. And access to some web sites is restricted in the media center of the Beijing Olympics.

I wrote on this blog that the Chinese government made a kind of manual for Chinese people because their behavior is terrible, but people don't follow them at all.
It's natural.
Even the Chinese government doesn't follow the request of the IOC, although they once accepted that.

If the Olympics isn't successful, I don't think it's China's responsibility. The IOC would be to blame, because they selected such a country as the host of the Olympics.

The counterfeit opening ceremony

In the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, it was revealed that big footprints of fireworks were CG. Huh?
After that, one more thing was revealed. A 9-year-old Chinese girl was singing in the ceremony. But actually she wasn't singing. A 7-year-old girl was singing in the backstage. Huh?? I heard that even Chinese are complaining about this matter.

But, no wonder that such things happened. Both the footprints and the singing girl were counterfeit.
"Counterfeit" is in China's line.

Chinese bad behavior

Chinese bad behavior is very famous around the world, such as, they never stand in line. And China itself seems to be aware of that.

According to an article on the Internet;
In the women's doubles badminton game, a Japanese pair defeated a Chinese pair who ranks No. 1 in the world and top-seeded in this Olympics.
Then in the next match, Japanese other pair vs. Chinese other pair, Chinese cheering group continued shouting "kill! kill!" (of course in Chinese) at the Japanese pair in retaliation.
I watched this game on TV but I didn't know that because I can't understand Chinese words.

The article ended with the following;
China made the manual about cheering, such as waving the national flags and banners is strictly prohibited, but Chinese people are completely indifferent to that. The Chinese flags are waved and many Chinese who wear red shirt occupied here and there in event sites. Then, "Kill! Kill!" It's the scene hard to imagine in the Olympics.

I am defeated by toddlers in English

I'm writing about the Olympics these days, so I write about English on this article.

I found a Japanese site about English dramas on the Internet and it says that English in the TV programs for KIDs is more difficult to catch. I agree with that. I can't understand those English. But... native toddlers can understand...

As I sometimes wrote on this blog, I like toddlers and have some favorite toddlers blog sites. On those sites, sometimes conversations between toddlers and their parents are written funnily. It's very cute!
But reading those conversations, their English is much better than mine. My English is much lower than 2 or 3-year-old kids. Whew...

Murder case again in China

People were killed in China again.
The news say;

The Chinese government has taken all-time security precaution for the Beijing Olympics, but the fact that they can't inhibit such murder cases is highlighted.

In this time, according to Xinhua News Agency, a person stuck a knife into 4 security guards in Sinkiang, 3 of them were killed and the other was injured.
But Xinhua's reports are always unreliable, as well as Chinese government's announcement.
Those cases may be more terrible or more terrible cases may be happening somewhere.

Noguchi... That's pity.

It was announced that Mizuki Noguchi who is a marathon runner won't show up the race due to injury.



According to the news, she said what she had done for the past 4 years was all for the Beijing Olympics. I feel very sorry. I can't say anything when I think about her feeling.

Abbreviation of countries name

Athletes put a kind of sheet on the back. It shows their country code, name, event... I don't know what it is called though.
The biggest is the country code, such as Japan is JPN.

On the back of North Korean athletes, "PRK" is written. PRK? North Korea --- PRK? I wondered why.

According to a dictionary, PRK is an abbreviation of People's Republic of Kampuchea. ??
So I looked up North Korea in the dictionary.
I see. Its formal name in English is Democratic People's Republic of Korea. I understood. It is very strange that there is "Democratic" in their name though.

But... what about Cambodia's code?

Thinking about Judo

I think European judo is different from real judo. Real judo... I mean Japanese judo or orthodox judo. Japanese judo, for example, games Japan vs. Korea are very exciting, but games by Europeans are a bit boring and not fun.

But it can't be helped. Now, judo isn't Japan's sport. It's the sport of the world. Globalizing things are always changing from original orthodox ones. For example, sushi.
There are many sushi restaurants all of the world now. But I don't think most of them provide real sushi. Those are not real sushi, at least for me. Sushi has been globalized, then changed.
I think Brazilian judo is similar Japanese judo. I wonder because there are many Japanese Brazilian in Brazil.
Many Japanese care about orthodox judo. So we are fed up with boring European judo and even don't regard blue judo wears as real judo wears.

I wonder why there is consolation match system in judo. I feel it a bit strange. Then 2 persons get bronze medals. Hmm... I don't know well about this system but, person A defeats person B at the first-round match, but person B wins the bronze medal although person A can't do. It can happen, right?

Judo is very active in France. I heard the number of the judo players is higher than that in Japan. So in the international competitions, France is the strongest rival for Japan. But both Japan and France are not making good results in the Beijing Olympics so far. I wonder if it means other countries go from strength to strength.

While I am writing this article, Ayumi Tanimoto, judo 63kg category, won the gold medal! She won all her matches by IPPON. Aiming to win by IPPON. It's the orthodox real Japanese judo!

Ayumi Tanimoto. Before finishing throwing, she is secure of her victory and smiles.

Kosuke Kitajima’s tears

Kosuke Kitajima won the gold medal in the men’s 100-meter breaststroke.
In the interview after the race, he couldn’t answer because of crying. I was surprised to see the scene. Kitajima is crying! It’s not like his character.

When he won the gold medal in the Athens Olympics, he said "cho- kimochi ii!" in the interview. It means "It feels super good!". "Cho-" is a slang of "super". "Cho- kimochi ii!" won the grand prize in the buzzwords contest.
He is a person like that. So his crying surprised me.

It is much more difficult than aiming to go to top, that keeping one's position as world number one. Kitajima’s crying expresses that.
In fact, after the Athens Olympics, he hadn’t been able to win. He was always defeated by his rival Hansen.

Actually I don’t like him so much. But when I saw his crying, I realized how hard time he spent under extreme pressure after “cho- kimochi ii!”

Kosuke Kitajima, who can’t answer the interview due to crying

P.S.
He should be thankful to MIZUNO which is his sponsor for allowing him to wear Speedo’s swimming suit.

Japan’s first gold medal

Japan’s first gold medal in the Beijing Olympics was gotten by Masato Uchishiba, judo 66kg category.

He seemed to be in good condition. He was really strong!

Masato Uchishiba holding up his gold medal

He also won the gold medal in the Athens Olympics, but after that, he stayed stagnant for a while. It must have been tough time for him.
One day, his son asked him;
"Why can’t you win although you are a champion?"
This son’s word inspired him. It’s a very impressive story. Unfortunately an announcer told this story repeatedly. Too much.

Uchishiba’s wife and son surrounded by many cameras

Destiny of defeated North Korean players

Few Japanese cheer for North Korean players. Me either. But when North Koreans are defeated, I have mixed feelings.

I am wondering if forced labor or something waits them in North Korea. Although it’s much better than other poor North Koreans, they have been given preferential treatment from the government because they are top athletes. For them, it means they will be at the nadir of their life.

I hope they won’t be killed.

Tani's son is...

According to the news, Ryoko Tani's 2-years-old son has come to Beijing with Tani's family and has very high fever due to virus infection. Tani must have been very worried about him. Is that why her face looked glum during the games?

A 2-year-old baby has high fever due to virus infection. It is really anxiety thing. Besides, it's in China. It is scary to be infected with a virus in China. It is also scary to enter Chinese hospital.

The news says that Tani said what she wanted to do was taking her son to Japan as soon as possible. I can understand her feeling.

Japan Pi--nch!

Some of Japanese athletes are expected to win the gold medal, such as a breaststroke swimmer Kosuke Kitajima. Ryoko Tani, too. But she lost.

A marathon runner Mizuki Noguchi won the gold medal in Athens Olympics, so she is also expected to win the gold medal again.
But there was shocking news yesterday. She entered the hospital! According to the press conference of the Japan Association of Athletics Federations today, she hurt her thigh and the test and the treat is conducting now, and it will become apparent in a couple of days whether to run or not.

I hope her injury is not so bad and run the race.

Noguchi, finishing in the first place in Athens Olympics

The terrible case as soon as the Olympics started

Two American tourists and a Chinese guide were attacked by a Chinese man in Beijing yesterday. One of American was killed and the other American and the Chinese guide were injured.
Those Americans are family of American Olympics valley ball team's coach.

Terrible. It was really terrible thing. And American valley ball team must be very shocked.

I heard that many tickets of Olympics remained unsold in Japan. It could be because the venue is China. Many people are worried about various "safety", such as food safety.

As for me, I also wouldn't go to China even if I get the ticket for free. But I want to go and see the London Olympics in 2012. Then it would be happy to see the Olympics in Tokyo in 2016.

Tani was defeated

The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games started yesterday.

One of the events I look forward to is Judo. Games of judo always take place right after the opening ceremony. And Japanese players get many golden medals.
But! The eventful affair has happened!

Ryoko Tani (aka Yawara-chan), who was aiming three consecutive gold medals, lost in the semifinals. Before the games, I felt her face looked a bit glum. She didn't look like usual her. I wonder if there was something wrong with her.

She had participated in the Olympic Games 5 times. It had never happened that she couldn't move into the final.

She won the third-place match. Although other players who won the third-place match were thoroughly delighted, she was smileless.

Tani standing on the podium without smile

I always look forward to the opening ceremony too. I'm always very impressed. So of course I watched it on TV yesterday, but I fell asleep in 20 minutes. haha. I wonder if the ceremony this time was boring.

My watch's destiny is... #2

Finally I received a call about the estimation for the repair of my watch. 21,000 yen (192us$ 125euro), ... and it takes 4, 5 weeks to repair. Whew...

I've wanted to buy Rolex the next time I buy new watch, but I can't afford to buy it now.

Whether I should buy new one for 21,000 yen or have my watch repaired and wait for 4, 5 weeks?

Then, I decided to have the watch repaired, because I really like it.

I wonder when I can buy Rolex.

Health-related words

A dialogue I'm studying now is about conversation in the hospital. So there are many words I've never heard. For example, bowel movements, constipated, diarrhea, urine, stool, stick out your tongue, press one's abdomen, etc. Uhh... I can't remember.

Meaning of stool I had known is a kind of a ladder or a small chair. I wonder what relation there is.

Body-related expression

"Don't hit him on the head."
"When I touched him on the shoulder, ---"

Hmm... Why don't they say;

"Don't hit his head."
"When I touched his shoulder, ---"

And, as I've written on this blog, I've always thought there are too many "my", "your", "his", and "her" in English. In spite of it, why don't they say;

"Don't hit him on his head."
"When I touched him on his shoulder, ---"