Snowman

I watched a movie last night and I found difference between U.S. snowman and Japanese snowman.

We Japanese use two big snowballs when making a snowman.






But in the movie, the snowman consisted of three big snowballs.



Hmm... Three snowballs snowman doesn't sit well with me and I don't feel it's cute so much.

How are snowmen in other countries? I wonder there are one ball snowman or four balls snowman.

Much snow in Tokyo

It's snowing all day today. It's very rare in Tokyo. It seems that full-fledged snow in Tokyo is for the first time in five years, I don't remember the snow 5 years ago though.

Today was the University Testing Center Examination day. I feel sorry for entrance test takers. They had to go to the test sites in this snow.

By the way, from this year, listening test of English was added to the Center Exam. We Japanese learn English, for 3 years in junior high school and for 3 years in high school. (And more 2 years in university) But most Japanese can't speak English. So adding listening test in the Center Exam may be one of the attempts to change English education in Japan. I've heard mock exam a little in the news. Hmm... It seems to be very easy test. I wonder it isn't useful attempt...

Yoga class

I participated in the yoga class today. It is very cheap because Shibuya ward I live in holds it. So many people apply for it every time and chance for getting in it is very low. I have applied for it three times and I can get in it first time.

This class is held 5 times and today is the first. I'm doing yoga at my home by myself but I realized that it's much better to be taught from a teacher (Yoga master) than doing myself.

Although my body is very stiff as usual.

It's like a ski area.

It was fine weather but very windy today. So it's very cold. It's really cold as if I'm in the ski area. It's reminded me standing in line for ski lift. Most ski areas in Japan are very small and many people come to there, so we must stand in line for ski lift for a long time in the cold.

It's not only Japan to be very cold. According to the news, Moscow is hit by a record cold. -30 degrees C. -30!? I can't imagine!

There are many street children in Russia. It's harsh season for them...

Not to go to Osaka

Finally, I decided not to go to Osaka. I turned down the job offer.

Actually, this offer was very good, salary proposal was much high, the position was good, and the company would pay most my house rent so I would be able to live a house much better than one I'm living now. Yes, it was very good offer... except for living in Osaka.
I was thinking about various things, not only living place, and I decided not to accept it.

Anyway, I continue to live in Tokyo. If I accept that offer, my life would change SO MUCH. It would be the biggest change in my life. But I'm here now. Nothing special.

I will go to business trips next month. My co-worker and I, two persons must go round all over Japan for a month. One will go to the North area and the other will go to the South area. Hmm... It's winter now and this winter is ve--ry cold. So it seems that going to the South area is better. Hmm... But the North area isn't so bad because Sapporo is included. Date of going to Sapporo is during the Sapporo Snow festival that is very famous. I've never seen it. It's a good chance to see it.

I wonder which area I go to. I should be able to know that next week.

National character

I've heard one interesting story about national character before.

Everyone knows about the story of the Titanic. When the Titanic was sinking, women and children were given priority for taking to the boats. So the crews must have made men stay on the ship. There were British men, American men, German men and Japanese men. What did crews say to them to do so?

To British,
"You could be a gentleman if you stay on the ship."

To American,
"You could be a hero if you stay on the ship."

I knew two of the above. And...

To German,
"It's a rule."

Oh, I see. And?

To Japanese,
"Everybody does that."

Haha... exactly.

Cold, cold, cold---!!

It's very cold this winter. Ve--ry cold.

Winter gets warmer year by year due to global warming. Recent winter was not cold so much compared with winter when I was a child. BUT! this winter is very cold. According to the Meteorological Agency, December's average temperature of this winter was the lowest in the postwar period. There were many accidents in areas along the Sea of Japan due to heavy snow. The Sea of Japan side is area of heavy snowfall so those areas and people are used to heavy snow, but it's terrible in this winter.

It seems that this extreme weather is also due to global warming...

It seldom snows in Tokyo. But it's cold!

The first fine day of this year

Usually, winter in Tokyo is almost fine day. But unfortunately New Year's day was cloudy and it was rain on 2nd.

And today is the first fine day of this year!

This photo is the view from window of my place. The skyscrapers in Shinjuku I like, the temple next to my place and clear blue sky. It's my favorite view. Unfortunately, there is hindrance... And I can't see this view in summer because central tree leafs and cuts off the view.

I enjoy seeing this view every morning this time of the year.

New Year's visit to a shrine

I went to a shrine and came back just now. Many Japanese visit a shrine or temple at the beginning of the new year. Japanese call it "hatsu moude". I visited the Yasukuni Shrine this year.

I always go hatsu moude on 1st Jan. (It's normal.) But this year, I went today, 2nd. After eating Osechi foods (Japanese new year dishes) on 1st, I felt asleep very much. So I took a nap, long nap. Haha. So I couldn't go hatsu moude. From at the beginning of the New Year, I was lazy...

After visiting the shrine, I went to a department store for shopping. The department store was ve--ry crowded because of New Year sale. I don't know why but there were many Chinese or Korean. Why? I wonder it's not unusual that they come to Japan for New Year sale??

a Happy New Year!

2006 has started. I want this year to be a good year.

~~~ My keywords of this year ~~~

Trust
Taking faithful action

Preparation
I always should be well prepared. I tended to neglect preparation.

Do My Best
I do my best to do above things.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I hope the new year will bring you good luck and happiness!

Living in Osaka? 2

I was offered officially from the company I had interviews the other day. Working place is... Osaka. Hmm... I must make preparations for moving early in the new year.

As I wrote on this blog the other day, I LOVE Tokyo and don't want to leave from here, and I dislike Osaka most. But there is Japanese old saying, "once you live in a place, it grows on you." I wonder I will like Osaka.

Christmas has finished.

Today is 26th. Christmas has finished completely, at least in Japan. All Christmas trees, Christmas lights and other Christmas decorations have been taken away. There isn't a trace of Christmas. It's a usual situation in Japan.

Maybe foreigners who are out of Japan are surprised to see that. I've heard that they don't take Christmas trees away till next month, for example till 6th Jan... it seems that it depends on countries.

Most Japanese aren't Christians. (There are a few Christians though.) And Japanese have no Christmas holiday. We enjoy Christmas as Just one joyful event, and after 25th, the event is finished. Most Japanese are working today and there hasn't been a trace of Christmas in Japan.

Except for selling unsold Christmas cakes at discount prices.

Living in Osaka?

One headhunting company introduced me a job opportunity and I had some interviews. At first, I had the interview with HR person on the phone. (I don't know why it was on the phone though.) Next, I had the interview on the phone with a director who is in Osaka. He is a foreigner so of course the interview was conducted in English. As I sometimes write on this blog, I'm really poor at English conversation on the phone and don't like it.

And today, I had two face-to-face interviews. One was with a manager, the other was with an another director. The manager is a Japanese but the director is a foreigner so I've been prepared for the English interview.
But! he spoke fluently Japanese, mostly native. Haha.

This job opportunity may be in Osaka. Hmm... Osaka... I was born and raised in Tokyo, and I LOVE Tokyo, so I don't want to leave from Tokyo. But on choice of job, place isn't top priority for me. But actually I don't like Osaka... better to say I hate. I bother myself about that.

Singlish

In past days, I have watched a TV program about English that was spoken in Singapore. It's very specific English so it is called "Singlish".

The program introduced some examples of Singlish. I was surprised! Those almost were not English! Especially grammar is different... hmm... different? Better to say very incorrect. For example, there was no verb in a sentence. Every word in the sentence was noun.
I have heard that many native English speakers have trouble on English conversation when they are transferred to Singapore.

My English is also incorrect. I often speak or write strange phrases, native speaker can understand them though. Sometimes Americans ask me, "Is it British English?" Haha, no, no. I wonder I call my English "Sandlish".

The program I mentioned first introduced that when someone ask Singaporeans, "can you ---?", they answer, "can, can". Oh, I liked it. It's cute!

Age limit on entering the Olympic

The GP final of figure skating that top 6 skaters of GP series participate was held. Three in the top 6 women are Japanese. Japanese figure skating is really strong.

Mao Asada (she is a Japanese.) won! That's great!! The second place is Irina Slutskaya who is a Russian, and she is the favorite for the Torino Olympic gold medal. So chance is fairly good that Mao Asada win gold in Torino. BUT!! She can't be selected a member of the Trino Olympic because of the age limit. She is still 15 years old.

President of the International Skating Union said no exceptions. And he also said that he hasn't receivied any petition from the Japan Skating Federation. WHY??
If it happens in other countries, most countries must petition strongly, certainly. Why Japanese don't say anything? The Japan Skating Federation said that rule was rule.

Yeah, it's typical Japanese behavior. Japan don't say its opinion strongly, although some other countries say their opinions very strongly even if it is wrong or contrary to reason.

It's one of the reasons that Japan is poor at diplomacy.

Long vacation

I watched one TV program about French vacation.

As you know, Japanese vacation is very short. We rarely can take a long vacation. American vacation is much longer than Japanese one. But even American is surprised at length of French vacation. One French said that she takes 5 weeks vacation. Over one month? Other French said that he takes 8 weeks vacation!!

If Japanese take such a long vacation, they must be consumed with worry about their job, companies don't allow them to take such a long vacation though.

Mr. Ogi passed away.

Ex-baseball manager, Mr. Ogi died.

Everyone says he was very good manager. It is very famous that he built Nomo and Ichiro into good players, and both of them have performed well in MLB. And his skills as a baseball manager were called "Ogi magic".

I was very surprised to hear that he was 70 years old. He really looked like younger.

May his soul rest in peace. And please keep watching Japanese baseball.

The Da Vinci Code

As you know, "The Da Vinci Code" is the best-seller in 2003. Though belated, I read it.

I borrowed it from the library. When I tried borrowing it, many people had already made a reservation for this book, surprisingly more than 100 people! I wondered I could have my turn. And finally my turn have come! I can't remember when I made a reservation.

It was very interesting story. I can understand that it became the best-seller worldwide. I read it at one sitting. (I usually read books in a oner. It seems that I'm not good at "little by little" on anything.) In this time, I read Vol. 1. And I'm waiting for my turn for Vol. 2.
I can't wait!

Alleged irregularities of World Cup final draw

Italian TV covered that there might be alleged irregularities on Germany's drawing. Is it worth covering this news? Basically I don't think the World Cup drawings were conducted fairly.

When the 2002 Word Cup was held in Japan and Korea, I've heard some things about the drawing before the final draw was conducted.
There has never been the World Cup that the host country couldn't advance to the final 16, and if the host country can't advance to the final 16, its World Cup would be flopped. So FIFA needed to make Japan or Korea advance to the final. In the result, Japan was in ve--ry easy group. Japan was the host country so of course Japan was dealt as a seeded team. But the group Japan joined was too easy. So Japan could advance to the final. These conducts weren't needed because Korea placed in the top 4. At that time, Korea was really strong, Italians are probably dissatisfied though.

And I also heard before the drawing that the U.S. never joins the Groups that games were hold in Japan.
Sept. 11 terrorist attacks happened one year before the World Cup. So games of the U.S. should have been hold in Korea that has the army. Japan has no army, it has Self-Defense Forces though. And that's really what's happened.

Anyway, there is no doubt that the strongest team wins the cup even if it joins any group.

The first snow in Tokyo

It's very cold!
According to news, it snowed last night in Tokyo. Where in Tokyo? I didn't know that. The first snow in Tokyo in this season came 22 days earlier than average year.

I usually don't wear gloves. But I bought a bicycle and it's hard to ride bicycle without gloves. TOO cold! So finally I bought gloves yesterday.

According to the Meteorological Agency, this cold will continue for about 1 week. Ugh... Actually, my room is very cold due to apartment's structure. Usually apartment is warmer than isolated house because an apartment room is covered by other rooms, on the left, right, top and bottom. The same can be said for hotels. But my room is...
My room is the 2nd floor of a 5-story apartment. My room is endmost so there is the next room only one side. There is no room on the opposite side. And there is no room over my room, because my apartment's shape is a staircase pattern. I don't explain well in English. Can you imagine? And! the high point is... under my room isn't a room, it's parking. Oh! It's cold!