Old Nail Comes Off

Saturday, June thirtieth, two thousand and seven

Last night the old nail of my left little finger fell off after I had been waiting long for that. The new nail hasn't come out completely yet but I'm so happy now because I wont' suffer from the pain any more that occurs when the old nail is caught in something.
The finger looks so strange that anyone who takes a look at it would say like, "Yuck!", "Grotesque!", "Ew!", or something like those. (^_^; Let me upload the picture below.



To change the subject, serious flooding occurred in Texas, according to the English news I sometimes read on my cell phone. Since an American guy who used to be an English teacher of mine lives there, I couldn't help but ask him if he is OK by email. Although I haven't gotten his reply yet, I hope he doesn't have any serious problems from my heart.

Dad's 76th Birthday

Friday, June twenty ninth, two thousand and seven

I decided to write my English diary everyday at the beginning of this year as a new year's resolution, but my recent health condition doesn't allow me to do that. My job really has worn me out lately. That's why I was absent from this blog space for a few days. Besides, I've been suffering from a terrible backache as I mentioned it the other day. It's been one of those days! Frankly speaking, I can't help but feel that I'm no spring chicken. (^^;

Taking of "one of those days", one of my American friends taught me the phrase while he was in Japan. It is used to say that everything seems to be going wrong, according to my English-English dictionary. Whenever I use the phrase in English conversation, it reminds me of his face and nice memories. Nostalgic... (^^;

Anyway, today is my father's 76th birthday. My family already had a party with my brother's family last Saturday, which combined with my third son's birthday party. Next year we'll have to hold a big party for him. He's going to be 77 years old on the same day next year, which means that he's going to reach "喜寿(kiju)", one of special birthdays for Japanese people. Those who reaches 77 years old are mostly celebrated by their families for having the long life. The Chinese character "喜" used to be written with three "七"s in Japan, "七" means "seven" in Japanese, and also "寿" is a formal word to describe happy things... maybe. That's the reason 77 years old is also called "喜寿" in Japan. Even though "喜" used to be written with three "七"s, "喜寿" doesn't mean 777 years old. (^^; It's impossible for anyone to have such a long life as you know!

Manipulative Treatment

Monday, June twenty fifth, two thousand and seven

I've been suffering from a terrible backache for weeks actually, so I went see the doctor last Saturday who my mom recommended me the other day. According to him, my pelvis is distorted probably because of the recent busy work and it needs fixing up as soon as possible, otherwise I'll have more serious problems in the future. This evening I'm visiting his clinic again besides got to go see him regularly from now on. I'm worried that my evening-drink time could be shorter... (ToT) It might also be good for my health though. (^^;


manipulative treatment: 整体術
pelvis: 骨盤
distorted: ゆがんでいる

Lazy Diary

Sunday, June twenty fourth, two thousand and seven

Today I'm under the weather, so I can't write long English sentences. Let me just upload some pictures I took during my third son's birthday party yesterday.
I'm going to take a shot nap to get rid of my fatigue and go out alone to take some English free conversation classes this afternoon.

Son's 9th Birthday

Saturday, June twenty third, two thousand and seven

It's my third son's ninth birthday today. As I wrote an article here, we are having a BBQ party at home. Let me pick up tons of food stuff this afternoon. But before that, I have to go see a doctor because of my terrible backache and stiff neck caused by the recent busy job, I guess. I'm going to have a massage and electric therapy or acupuncture treatment. Therefore, I can't take English lessons today as usual Saturday. Let me take them tomorrow instead. I MUST speak English a lot more! In fact, these days I feel like my English skills are turning down(going down?) actually.

Anyway, I'll post some pictures of the party later if I can take nice ones.


electric therapy: 電気治療
acupuncture treatment: 鍼治療

BBQ For 2 Birthdays

Friday, June twenty second, two thousand and seven

It's my third son's 9th birthday tomorrow, and besides, my father's 76th one is June 29th. We were planning to have a party on June 30th but have just rescheduled it. My brother's family and us are having a BBQ tomorrow at my place to celebrate their birthdays. We are having a party with my brother's family after a long time, so it will become a kind of crazy party because of many noisy kids! Actually, each of us has three kids. They are so energetic that I'm afraid of my house being crashed by them. Anyway, let me prepare tons of meat! Plus I have to.... NO! MUST prepare lots of BEER! There's no more delicious one than cold beer in such hot weather. I can't help but swallow a huge amount of beer! In fact, on a day like recent hot climate, I would do anything for cold beer!

Cram School Unnecessary

Thursday, June twenty first, two thousand and seven

When it comes to our children's education, my wife is prone to be an extremely education-minded mother, actually. She asked me if it's OK to have our eldest son go to a cram school. In Japan most junior high school students are often go to cram schools in order to enter high-level high schools. Frankly speaking, I don't think it's a good idea for kids to often spend time studying that much. Therefore, I replied to her, "In my opinion, your idea is a sort of waste of money and time. He has a lot of things to do such as playing outside and help me work in my factory. Those things are real study cases, I think."


be prone to = tend to (?)

The Happiest Person

Wednesday, June twentieth, two thousand and seven

I personally think....

The happiest person in the world is the one who believes themself is wise, although themself is the most stupid person.

The unhappiest person in the world is the one who thinks themself is stupid because of being often bothered by the happiest person, although themself is much wiser than the real stupid person.

Telemarketers Annoy Me

Tuesday, June nineteenth, two thousand and seven

Do you like taking phone calls? Actually, I hate doing that while I'm working. Of course, it's OK with me that my business partners make calls to me anytime, but most of the calls I have to take in my factory tend to be from salespeople after accessing my factory's web site such as persuading me to make a better web site with them. Since I used to be a capable(maybe...) computer system engineer, I've already implemented SEO(Search Engine Optimization) into it! In addition, the cost they offered me are mostly ridiculously high! I don't need such silly presentations! I have no idea why they contact me by email. Don't bother me any more! Ah... I must have a short temper...

New Equipment

Monday, June eighteenth, two thousand and seven

A new machine has just come to my place. Not to my factory, to my house actually. (^^;
As my two sons have been getting fat lately, my wife decided to buy an exercise machine at a shopping mall for them as the following picture. Besides she can do exercise inside the house in order to lose her wight, but I don't think she is fat. It's true to be getting fat only around the lower belly though.


What do you think about that? Do children have to do exercise with such kind of equipment? I actually don't think so. They should play sports or something like that instead of using such a ridiculous machine. I bet it's a waste of money, of course. What a stupid idea! I really want to make them work in my factory if they have the time to do such a silly thing. They will be able to lose their weight, and I'll be able to get through a job much earlier as well. That's killing two birds with one stone!


lower belly: 下腹

Father’s Day

Sunday, June seventeenth, two thousand and seven

In spite of my expectation, no one in my family gave me something nice today. I had thought they didn't do anything for me though. It's already been thirteen years since I became the father of my children, sadly, I haven't been presented anything before. (ToT) It's OK with me that they didn't got me any good stuff, however, what I don't forgive them is having forgotten today is Father's Day. In fact, my wife said just now, "Ah... It's Father's Day today. I forgot that." I personally think it's a sort of responsibility for her to tell our children when Father's Day is and what they should do on the day. Anyway. it's almost over today, so it can't be helped. I could be nothing more than a worker bee. What a life!


be nothing more than something: ～に過ぎない

Usual Saturday

Saturday, June sixteenth, two thousand and seven

I took three regular English lessons and four free talk classes at a branch of NOVA this afternoon, I had a headache after that. It might be quite tough for me to take regular lessons and free talk classes on the same day. Let me focus on either one from now on because I'm no spring chicken. X(
As I posted a journal the other day, NOVA is in a jam now. Therefore I couldn't help but encourage the staff, saying "Hang in there."

After NOVA, a couple of my friends and I hit a Japanese style bar as usual. I expected to go to the bar in Kishiwada city that my friends recommended me to visit the other day and that serves so many kinds of nice fried foods, but it was too crowded when we arrived there, so we couldn't help having alcohol at another bar actually. Anyhow, doing something with young people makes me feel young anytime we have a party or something like that. I'd appreciate their kindness from my heart.

ADHD Son Bullied

Friday, June fifteenth, two thousand and seven

This evening my eldest son's home room teacher came around to my house right before I got home from work. Apparently, the son was bullied by some his classmates at the junior high school. Since he has ADHD, which stands for Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, many of them can't understand why he sometimes behaves strangely. Luckily, some of them told the teacher that my eldest son had been bullied and the details.
According to the teacher, it wasn't so serious, however, he scold severely the students involved in the bad conduct as soon as he heard the report. The purpose he visited my house was to let us know the fact. Besides, he told us other small things that happened recently at school. He says that we can be relieved because there are some nice classmates and he intends to pay attention to not only my eldest son's behavior but also other students' one.
He is really an amiable person, I think. In addition, he has a lot of knowledge about disabilities as he used to work for a school for disabled children. My eldest son must be happy to have such a good teacher. Of course, I asked him to watch the bad bays so that they won't bully the nice students in revenge(retribution?) for having been reported their bad deed.


amiable: 好意的な、感じの良い
in revenge(retribution) for something: ～の仕返しに

Rainy Season

Thursday, June fourteenth, two thousand and seven

Apparently, the rainy season of this year has just started in Japan. As the temperature in my factory was relatively cool today, I felt comfortable in today's job. In addition, rain sometimes makes me feel relaxed because of the negative ions generated by the weather.
Speaking of "negative ion", Japanese people often say "minus ion" instead of "negative ion". According to my dictionary, "minus ion" is a strange English word made in Japan and "negative ion" is correct. Actually, tons of strange English words made in the country often drive me bananas these days. Since I was born in Japan, it's no use complaining though.


negative ion: マイナスイオン(minus ionは、和製英語)

NOVA in Trouble

Wednesday, June thirteenth, two thousand and seven

According to the newspaper, the Japanese government has just given some business improvement orders to NOVA, the most biggest private English school in Japan. The newspaper says that the school often told lies to the new customers when they contract with NOVA. Since some consumer affairs bureaus have been swamped with complaints related to the agreement between NOVA and its students. I'm worried about taking my English lessons in the future but I'll go on studying English there as long as the staff provide sincere services. To be honest, I don't want to mention this affair any more. I really feel sorry for the teachers as they might be at a loss in spite of their leader's blunder.


business improvement order: 業務改善命令
be swamped with complaints:　苦情が殺到する
consumer affairs bureau: 消費者センター
blunder: 失態

Exhausted...

Wednesday, June twelfth, two thousand and seven

I'm so tired I could sleep for a month...
I'm worn out...
I'm exhausted because I had to work my fingers to the bone today...
I need having a BBQ with a huge amount of beer to get over from my fatigue...
I've been suffering from lack of energy...
I almost die...

I wonder if there are any other interesting expressions I can say when I'm extremely tired. (^^;

Nintendo DS with English Game

Monday, June eleventh, two thousand and seven

These days my eldest son is into studying English actually. But the way is using a video game, whose name is "英語漬け(eigo duke)". It's one of the most famous programs for Nintendo DS in Japan. If I translate the game's name into English, I would say "cramming English."


The 13-year-old boy told me the other day that his level was "D" then, however, I don't know whether the level is good for his age or not. Does anyone tell me if it's good or bad? Should I study English with the game as well as he does?

Wonder If Taking TOEIC Again

Sunday, June tenth, two thousand and seven

Now that I'm a factory worker, I don't have to get any qualifications and good scores of English tests. To be honest, the purpose I study English is to have a lot of good times with interesting people, not for my work. However, I took a TOEIC last summer in order to know how bad my skills are. The score was six hundred and forty, which was better than I had expected, actually. Since one of my Australian friends presented me a study tool for TOEIC the other day, I want to use it and give it a try again this year. So far I haven't decided when I'm going to take it, but it will be this September or so if my job isn't killing me. There's just one thing that must be true. I mean, it's certain that I'll never study too hard. :) Anyhow, let me try it at my own pace. That way is the most important for anything I try to do.

Wearing Grove

Saturday, June ninth, two thousand and seven

As I posted an article here, a new nail is coming up under the old one of my left little finger now. The old one is going to fall off naturally anytime soon, and I expect to have an excellent virgin one, not pierced nail. :) These days I'm kind of worried about having terrible pains if it's caught in something actually. So I decided to put on a grove as the following picture until getting the new one otherwise the pain would be killing me, I bet.


Since I was having a grove on my left hand, everyone who I met today at the English school and the bar I sometimes hit Saturday, such as my English teachers, study buddies and friends, asks me why I was wearing it. After all, I had to explain the reason one million times today! However, they gave me a good topic for today's diary. (^^;

Once-a-week Drinking

Friday, June eighth, two thousand and seven

Since I decided the other day to go for a drink once a week, usually Saturday nights, I have to go out tomorrow night. It's a kind of responsibility of mine actually, so I'm considering now where I should go. I wonder if I should hit bars once in a while that I haven't been to before. Anyway, I feel fatigue and a lack of energy because of the recent busy work and hot weather, so I think it's a good idea to have hearty(nourishing or nutritious?) meal, such as eel bowl, somewhere before having a drink.


"quotes from LONGMAN Dictionary of Contemporary English"
hearty [adjective]: a hearty meal is very large
nutritious [adjective]: food that is nutritious is full of the natural substances that your body needs to stay healthy or to grow properly
nourishing [adjective]: food that is nourishing makes you strong and healthy

Come On Rainy Season!

Thursday, June seventh, two thousand and seven

This year's rainy season will begin anytime soon in Japan, I suppose. I usually don't like rain but rain in hot weather makes me comfortable actually, especially when I'm working. It makes cool down the temperature around the machinery in my factory, so I expect we won't sweat that much. I can lose my weight easily by sweating a lot in hot weather though.
ANYWAY WE NEED RAIN! The temperature can't be too cool!


can't ～ too ...：いくら...しても～し過ぎることはない。

My Daughter Sprains Leg

Wednesday, June sixth, two thousand and seven

The day before yesterday my 6 year-old daughter was playing with her friends at school wearing sandals when she twisted her left ankle. We guessed she just sprained it but the doctor who examined her yesterday told my wife that she has a cleavage fracture in her ankle. That's not so serious injury but I feel sorry for her, of course. Besides, she has to stay away from swimming school classes for at least three weeks, the doctor said.
Talking of "cleavage fracture", I hadn't known the word "cleavage" has such a meaning, I knew that it means the space between a woman's breasts. :)


cleavage fracture: 剥離骨折(=avulsion fracture, chip fracture, sprain fracture ???)

Manner an Manners

Tuesday, June fifth, two thousand and seven

I hadn't known the difference between "manner" and "manners" until I read this week's newspaper issued for English study. I'm so ashamed of my lack of knowledge. When the word is used as a singular, it means similar to "way". But on the other hand, when it's used as a plural, it means similar to "behavior" as far as I've understood.

I've actually subscribed to a newspaper published by The Japan Times, Ltd. since this week. The paper teaches me a lot of new knowledge, therefore I would be able to learn much more from now on. But most of the contents seem to be more than I can handle. haha. Since I can bring it everywhere easily, I expect that I can kill time with it anyway and ask my teachers about the articles from now as well. Let me give them the third degree! (^^;


"quotes from LONGMAN Dictionary of Contemporary English"
give somebody the third degree:(informal) to ask someone a lot of questions in order to get information from them

Kill Two Birds With One Stone

Monday, June fourth, two thousand and seven

Finding interesting English proverbs is really interesting to me actually. I can learn not only English but also effective life styles through it. As everyone knows, there's a famous common saying, "kill two birds with one stone", in English. I had thought it derives from the Japanese one, 一石二鳥(isseki nicyou), for ages, so I asked an English teacher the other day if it derives from the Japanese proverb or not. He replied to me that he wasn't so sure because there are tons of common sayings among many languages.
After that, I tried to figure out the exact origin on the Internet. Against my guess, I realized in the end that the English one is probably original and it was translated into the Japanese one in Edo era or Meiji era. Besides the Japanese one was started using commonly in the country in after World War 2! Amazing! I guessed the English proverb derived from Chinese or Japanese language because of the ring.

By the way, the recent busy job is really killing me. I'm so tired I could sleep for a month...zzz

New Nail Coming Up

Sunday, June third, two thousand and seven

As I posted an article that mentioned my left little finger injured, the finger has been having some small problems for almost two months. It has bled internally and swelled up since I jammed it into the door of the oil hydraulic pressing machine in my factory.
It's getting over day by day, in fact, I can see a new nail under the old shaky one as the following picture.



I suppose the old one will come off anytime soon. Frankly speaking, I'm kind of terrified of having an acute pain at that time, however, I rest assured that I'll get a virgin nail. Actually, the old nail was pierced by the doctor who tried to take out the internal blood under the one. That's why I call the new nail "a virgin nail", which haven't been pierced before. Sorry to describe it inappropriately. (^^; Ah.... I must be letch as you probably think. To be honest, I was too ashamed to type this story in Japanese. :p


"quotes from LONGMAN Dictionary of Contemporary English"
swell [intransitive] (also: swell up): to become larger and rounder than normal - used especially about parts of the body: (ex.) Her ankle was already starting to swell.
hydraulic [adjective, usually before noun]: moved or operated by the pressure of water or other liquid: (ex.) a hydraulic pump, hydraulic brakes
shaky [adjective]: weak and unsteady because of old age, illness, or shock
rest assured that: used to tell someone not to worry, because what you say about a situation is true: (ex.) You may rest assured that it will be ready on time.

Exercise (Sit-Ups)

Saturday, June second, two thousand and seven

Since two sons of mine are sort of fat now, my wife has just imposed doing sit-ups every day on them, actually. Although I've gained my weight recently, but I'm still the slimmest man in my family. That's why she doesn't give me anything to do. Even if she ordered me to do things like that, I would never obey anything she want me to do though. Because I'm the breadwinner in my family, I have nothing ordered by her. :p
Let me upload a video of my eldest son's doing sit-ups below. (^^;

What? Fat?

Friday, June first, two thousand and seven

When I met some ex-coworkers at BAR60 tonight after a long time, a couple of them told me that I looked like fatter than I was. SHOOOOOCK! Let me cut down on alcohol and go on a diet! I'm so depressed that I could sleep for a month. I can't write English sentences anymore... Let me hit the sack...