Prolonged Shopping

Last Saturday, my mom and I made our own new record that we spent almost 7 hours for shopping at three department stores in downtown! From 10am to 5pm. Wow, it's so long!

I helped her pick out a bag for a calligraphy school, a sportswear for a tennis school, underwear, and cosmetics. We found a cute, pastel-striped sportswear that used a superior sweat-absorbent and quick-drying material.

The picture above is the same sportswear in a different color. It was an unusual type for her but looked good on her. I also recommended she should buy the bag, which I think she can replace her tattered one with. She bought me some underwear.

Actually, I was supposed to come home around 1pm to hang out with my husband. I felt sorry to him for having kept him waiting at home for a long time.

Also, I appreciate his thoughtfulness to my mom, who is somehow trying to find the strength to endure her grandfather's death. Honey, thanks for giving me a chance to support my mom!

Then last Sunday, I spent a while day with my husband, hanging out and enjoyed shopping together at Sugi Pharmacy and an appliance store K'z Denki in town. He seemed happy to get a new cellphone with one-segment broadcasting.

At night, we had "White Gyoza" to go for the first time at one of our favorite restaurants near our apartment. Yummy.

Now we are thinking about a birthday present for my father. How about a waterpoof CD player? It might help him to feel like taking a bath longer, which we believe is good for health as long as it's not too hot.

Posted by Kelly

Decided!

I've decided to take Chinese and Korean during this semester. Then why am I inclined to learn some Asian languages?

I admit that English is a practical tool for global communications, which I've learned for a long time. However, I have mixed feelings about the historical background that English has spread into every corner of the world, which is related to issues of expansion, imperialism, and colonialism to some extent. Then again I have no objection to the fact English works well as an international language today. (^-^)/

As an Asian, now I want to get ready to be involved in cultural exchanges with Taiwan, Korea, China, and other Asian countries somehow besides studying English. It seems like studying some Asian languages helps to strike a good balance as an Asian living in the global era.

Does this make sense?

Posted by Kelly

S-sensei

Today I got in touch with S-sensei, who used to be my homeroom teacher at my elementary school, for the first time in over twenty years!

What surprised me is that he still remembers me. Actually I consider him one of the best teachers I've ever met.

I was a shy student at school and got embarrassed easily. However, he always encouraged me to study, enjoy sports, and challenge anything new as well as other students. Besides, he was so funny!

My husband, mother, and I are thinking about inviting him to my apartment and he's supposed to call me later to inform me when would work best for him.

I really want to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to him since I think I own what I am partly to him. I have to give him credit for making me the person I am today...

Posted by Kelly

Result of TOEIC

Today I got to check out my result of TOEIC online, which I'd taken in March.

I got a perfect score in the listening section, but my score of the reading section was not satisfactory again. I don't think the section that difficult but why ...?

I just started spending certain amount of time for reading English books and articles every day this month so I'll try and figure it out along the way. (￣Д￣；；

Regarding English, I have another problem. I don't think my pronounciation has improved as much as I expected.

Acquiring a native-like enunciation is a monumental task for non-native speakers. Language transfer, or linguistic interference, is usually the culprit to blame. However, I believe such acquisition is possible to some extent.

The good thing is, in today's online English lesson, a new teacher asked me if I am a Japanese citizen. She said she was wondering if I am from Japan due to the way I spoke English. That's quite flattering, though.

Hang in there! (￣▽+￣*)

Posted by Kelly

Chinese, French, Korean, or Spanish?

I've been thinking which foreign language I should take a class of at university during the spring semester.

I've learned Chinese, French, Korean, and Portuguese but I've never mastered any of them!

This will be my last year in my graduate school so I've got to think about that. Of course my dissertation and English have much higher priority, though.

Do I want to study Spanish?

Or I might as well start Chinese, French, or Korean again from scratch. My husband might be transferred to one of French-speaking countries or China and I might have a chace to visit Korea in the future.

Umm ... well, I'll check out each first class to figure out a way next week.

Posted by Kelly

Eiken

I've made a decision to take Eiken, a test in practical English profiency in October - November this year.

I am going to take the written exam on October 21 and the interview exam will be held on November 18. Actually, I wanted to take Eiken in July - August, but I have to skip it due to a plan to visit the State.

This will be my first time to try the grade 1 and I hope I can pass it. In a correlation with TOEFL, I am likely to pass the grade 1 easily.... ?

Posted by Kelly

Jogging at Night

My husband and I enjoyed jogging last night, watching the night view of cherry blossoms.

Some cherry blossom were in full bloom and some were overblown with green leaves. The road was hilly but the beautiful view cheered us up.

There is no treasure more precious than my husband and family.

Posted by Kelly

In Memory of My Grandfather

We had 49th day's Buddhist memorial service today.

A sutra was recited at the ceremony at my parents' house and relatives got together in memory of my grandfather. My brother's son, one and half year old baby, was sooo quiet next to his parents, which surprised us. After that, we had pretty good lunch at Kisoji in downtown. Toshiko-san, a sister of my grandfather, told me that he had always talked about me.

After they left home, my family visited his grave in the evening. A priest recited a sutra again and we put small pieces of the white bones of my grandfather in a small space of the grave. Now he is together with my grandmother, who passed away almost twenty years ago.

I cannot forget the words my grandfather told me one day before he passed away. When I visited him in his room, he was dozing off and then looked at me. I said to him, "How are you?" He said, "Not that good." With a tender look on his face, he said,"BOTAN NO HANA GA SAITA NE. (The tree peony blossoms are in bloom)," which made me notice the three beautiful, red blossoms in the garden.

He also mentioned something with my husband.... Whenever I met my grandfather, he told me to appreciate my husband's being understanding for me. I did not expect that to be the last moment that I was allowed to communicate with him.

On the next day, he passed away in front of my parents, brother, and me. I was so sad that I lost him, who had cared for me. I felt regret for something and it took a while for me to come to terms with his death.

In memory of my grandfather, I've decided to take life one day at a time with my family. On our way home, my brother drove us to the riverside to enjoy watching cherry blossoms in full bloom, some trees' overblown. I appreciate his aloha for all the family members.

Posted by Kelly

Resolutions!

I've just decided to study English more seriously!

I've been studying English by taking online lessons and watching some episodes of "Friends" every day. Actually, it helped me to improve my English skills and I'm satisfied with that to some extent.

However, now I realize that I also need to read newspaper articles every day and develop my vocabulary, which I believe allows me to discuss any kind of topics more fluently.

So here is RESOLUTIONS!

I WILL:

Continue to watch "Friends" every day

Continue to take online lessons every day

Start reading some articles in Asahi Weekly every day --the highest priority!

Start reading "Bridget Jones's Diary whenever I want

Start working on "Vocabulary Building + Rapid Reading + Listening: Advanced 1000"

Start taking a lesson per week at my university

That's all. He who would climb the ladder must begin at the bottom!

Posted by Kelly

Barium X-ray

I got my annual checkup yesterday.

Seems like everything was going pretty good -- including blood pressure, heart rate, and even mammography screening -- until they took a barium x-ray to detect a problem in my stomach. I was told to swallow a solution of barium that is radiopaque.

It tasted awful. I felt sicky.

Actually, that was terrible.

Okay, this is it...

Posted by Kelly