Engaging in the humanitarian assistance

I watched the movie "Beyond Borders" on TV although it was aired midnight, because I'm thinking about engaging in the humanitarian international relief operations. Like I wrote on this blog before, I want to do activities to help children go to school.

At the price of yourself, even your life, can you support others? I don't have confidence at all.
When I see children (people) who are under harsh and terrible conditions, tears always came into my eyes. That's not good. At least, I must be stronger to engage in the activities.

By the way, the filmmaker of "Beyond Borders" might have described the heroine Angelina Jolie performed as a brave woman. But on reflection, wasn't she just selfish? I felt bad for her husband. Haha.

The 20th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor accident

This April 26th marked the 20th anniversary of the Chernobyl Accident. It was really horrible accident of course, but reaction of the former Soviet authorities after the accident was also horrible. Concealment of socialistic countries is terrifying.

I remember what one Chinese said. He worked in Japan. When someone asked him how was Japan, he answered that Japan valued people's lives. What?
He said that China didn't value human lives. Many years ago, one big accident (I didn't remember well. maybe earthquake? Mudslide? I think it was something like natural disaster.) was happened in China. Many countries offered the disaster assistance but China declined them. After several days later, at last Chinese authorities declared the number of dead from the accident. He said that if China accepted the offers, many lives were saved.

Those are a part of life in the socialistic countries?

Tibetan Buddhism culture series 1: about Kanjo

It has been more than one year since I began to be interested in Tibetan Buddhism. I went to the Tibetan Buddhism Promotion Association that name was Potala College to take a lecture class today. Potala College provides many kind of classes about Tibetan Buddhism and I took "Tibetan Buddhism culture series" class. Today's theme was "about Kanjo". Although this class is for beginners, it was a bit difficult for me. But it was VERY impressed! I can't explain this feeling.

I don't intend to be a believer of any religion. But teaching of Tibetan Buddhism is very interesting and there are some things I sympathize with.

But it is very profound. It is difficult to understand it soon. I try to know it little by little.

Next class is next month and its theme is "variety of tangka".

TOEIC exam result

I got my result of TOEIC exam.

Total score is 660. Listening section is 355, reading section is 305.

Oh! I reached my goal score that was 650! I can't believe. As I wrote on this blog, I did badly on the exam... I'm sure that my real English skill is lower than score 660. I need to study more and more.

I intend to take the exam in September again. Next my goal is 730.

My favorite characters

I watched "The Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King" on TV. Actually I haven't watched Part 1 "The Fellowship of the Ring", and I have watched only half part of Part 2 "The Two Towers". So I couldn't understand some words, especially proper names, such as person's name, place name, tribe name... Even if someone talked about one tribe, I couldn't understand if it was ally or foe. Haha. But I enjoyed the movie.

Who is your favorite character in this movie? Probably Frodo, Aragorn, Legolas (Orlando Bloom is very popular in Japan) are popular characters. But I like Sam! He isn't handsome and cool, but he is very faithful and pure.

My favorite character in the "Star Wars" is Chewbacca. Don't you think he is also faithful and pure? I want Chewbacca as a pet!

By the way, in "The Lord of the Rings", at last peace has come. Isn't person who contribute most is Sam?

Bye bye, Calvin

It's April from today.

I changed back to Japanese newspaper. I was taking English newspaper for about 6 months to improve my English. But newspaper was one of the most important things for me and I liked reading newspaper, even insertion, which has many infromation, not only news but also other various things. I missed them so I changed back.

Today, I read Japanese newspaper after a long time.

In the English newspaper, there was my favorite cartoon. It's "Calvin and Hobbes". The main character is Calvin who is a kid. (Maybe about 7 years old?) He is insolent and often pesters his parents. His best friend is Hobbes that is a stuffed tiger, but in Calvin's imagination (maybe), Hobbes is a real tiger and they are always enjoying many things together.
I feel sorry that I can't read this cartoon from today.

Too bitter chocolate

I love chocolate very much. Especially bitter one. I don't accept too sweet chocolate, such as white chocolate, as a real chocolate. Haha.

Recently, chocolate that contains much cacao component is very popular in Japan. I found two new chocolates in a convenience store today. One was "Cacao 75%", the other was "Cacao 85%". Hmm... I don't know how much cacao was contained in chocolate I eat usually, but I like bitter chocolate so I bought "Cacao 85%" chocolate.

Too bitter!

I can't eat it because of too bitter. This is the first chocolate I can't eat.

I took the TOEIC exam for the first time.

I came home from taking the TOEIC exam. Hmm... My English is very poor, I knew that though.

I couldn't catch English well in listening section. In reading section, I didn't have enough time to answer every question because my reading speed wasn't fast as usual. My problems are same... It means that my English doesn't improve at all.

I will get the exam result one month later. Too late. Most certification exams are conducted on CBT so we can know our test result as soon as we finished exam. Why is TOEIC conducted on old way? I must wait the result about for a month.

Movie: Eight Below

Hollywood movie "Eight Below" is hitting screen in Japan now. It is remake of a Japanese movie that title is "Nankyoku Monogatari" (Antarctic Story).

http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/8below

It was released no less than 23 years ago! I watched it and remember it well because the movie was a big hit. It was very impressive movie.

But I wonder why Hollywood remade it 23 years after its release.

8 dogs appear in the movie. But what does "Eight Below" mean? Word "below " is used for, such as "below average", "below 30 degrees C"..., isn't it?

Japan won the WBC.

Japan became the first champion of the World Baseball Classic! Congratulations!!

We were almost ready to give up advancing to the final 4. But Japan could barely do, and won the championship. I watched the games full of nervous excitement and really enjoyed them.

Favored teams, the U.S., Dominican Republic, Venezuela, that all members were Major Leaguers, couldn't advance to the final 4. Especially this WBC was coordinated all for America's wining, for example judges, paring of the tournament, location and so on. The U.S. couldn't even advance to the final 4 although everything was in its favor.

This time was the first WBC so there were many problems as the world game. I hole WBC would reach maturity as world championship. Next WBC will be held in 3 years.

The cherry blossom front

Cherry blossom will be in season soon. At this time of the year, the Meteorological Agency releases the flower forecast of cherry blossom. This year it seems to be earlier than usual.

In Tokyo, it is about 22nd March. So I wonder the weekend after next is best for Hanami (cherry blossom viewing).

This is map of the cherry blossom front. -->

Is it only Japan?

Movie: Hotel Rwanda

I went to see the movie "Hotel Rwanda". I was thinking about seeing it, it's not famous and popular in Japan though.

It was the story of the genocide in Rwanda.
I can't write my impressions of the movie here because the subject is too deep. Actually I can't understand my own feeling... sadness? anger? empty?

I want many people to see this movie.

http://www.hotelrwanda.com/main.html

Polar bear Peace

My favorite animals are "dolphin" and "polar bear". Most people are surprised when hearing that I like polar bear.

There is one polar bear whose name is Peace at Tobe zoo in Ehime prefecture. She is a hand-raised bear and it's very rare case.

Sometimes, TV program about her aired. I love watching it! She looked like a stuffed toy when she was child. Very cute!!

Moving Peace is much cuter. You can see some her videos in the following site. (It's a Japanese site.)

http://www.tobezoo.com/shiiku/peace/p_w/html/indexmain.html

She is 6 years old now.
Oh! Very big!

Health spa

I went to health spa with my friend today. At first, we took a bath leisurely. After that, we got a massage for about one hour. And then, we talked over drinking beer. What a wonderful day!
Yes, today was supposed to be relaxed day, but!

Before going to the health spa, I was in a coffee shop and studied English. And I received a phone 3 times. Every call was business call... I took a day off today though. I had to take some business calls even during I was in the health spa. And I ended up going work after the spa, although I said that I couldn't meet with our client because I wore jeans.

In spite of my day off, it was a hectic day today. But I enjoyed the health spa enough!

Open-air bath in the health spa I went to

Trying new method of learning English

I bought 2 books for studying English today. I'm thinking about trying new method of learning English after I take TOEIC exam on 26th this month.
Left book, "Dialogue 1800" is for increasing my vocabulary. Right book, "Eigo mimi (English ear)" is for improving my listening skill. I put emphasis on my 2 weak points.

By the way, I heard English wrong again. It was almost same mistake I made the other day.

I caught an English sentence a speaker said.

"A man is taking office hat."

What is the office hat? Correct answer is

"A man is taking off his hat."

Whew...

2006 is sports year!

Olympics have finished. And then, World Baseball Classic started yesterday.
http://www.worldbaseballclassic.com/2006

There are many sports events this year. Olympics, WBC and Soccer World Cup. I like watching sports very much so I'm happy, especially I like baseball.

Japan whitewashed China, 18 - 2, yesterday. Japan will place in the top 4, but I wonder it's difficult for Japan to take the first place. There are many heavy odds, such as the U.S., Dominican Republic, Venezuela...

The result of Japan on the Olympics was terrible. Probably Japan can't advance to the final 16 in the Soccer World Cup. So I hope Japan get a good result in WBC.

I can't catch English sentence as usual.

On one of the questions of TOEIC mock exam, a speaker said,
"The man is cleaning off his glasses."

But I could hear
"The man is cleaning office grasses."

?? Office grass?? Is there grass in an office? Does someone sometimes clean it? Hahaha...... ha...ha... My listening skill is too bad as usual.

Spring will come soon?

March has begun. According to the calendar, it's spring... but it's still cold. It's also rain. I feel that spring is far.

But spring is approaching with every rainfall every year.

Right is a photo of ume (Japanese plum) my friend gave me.
Spring is just around the corner.

Arakawa won the gold medal!!

Japanese figure skater Shizuka Arakawa I was cheering best won the gold medal. I'm very happy!

There were two strong opponents, Russian Irina Slutskayta and American Sasha Cohen, both were from big figure-skating powers, but Arakawa defeated them.

Her skating was very beautiful and perfect. Of course she showed us her best performance "Ina Bauer" (the right photo). Ina Bauer isn't the performance that gets a score but she stuck to beauty.

I also enjoyed the exhibition by top skaters after the competition. They were skating being free tension because they had finished their competition, and I could watch their performance free from anxiety.

Hina-arare

When I came back from my business trip last Thursday night, I found that hina-arares were sold in a convenience store. Oh! Hina-arare.

3rd March is Doll's Festival Day in Japan and hina-arare is sweet food for it.

<== Hina-arare

I like it very much, but unfortunately it is sold just from mid of Feb to 3rd March. Now is only time I can eat it. So I'm eating it every day. Haha. But hina-arare is made of rice so it is high in calories. Don't eat too much. But it's hard to stop!