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2006-12-31 Sun 22:00
I am back home during the New Year's holidays.
I am going to stay in Osaka.    |
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2006-12-30 Sat 10:22
Yesterday I gave a greeting for the end of year to my colleagues. The solar calendar is a good system I think. Every 365 days, I can mark the start of a new phase of my life.
The cycle every 100 days is too short, and every 500 days is too long. We can experience such a new start about 70 times in our lives, but I feel the cycle is faster and faster as I get old. (-_-;)  [ネイティブチェック後はこちら] |
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2006-12-29 Fri 07:59
Now I am at my office. The train was not so crowded this morning. A third of my colleagues in my department are off today. Today is likely to be one of the busiest days of the year.
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2006-12-28 Thu 22:50
I'm completely exhausted due to lack of sleep. I go to bed around 1 am, and I get up at 5:30 am. So, I only sleep four hours and a half on weekdays.
It is said that we need to sleep at least seven hours everyday. I have to go to bed at 10:30 pm in order to have good sleep. Now it is already 10:47 pm. I have no time to take a bath. I want 36 hours a day. [ネイティブチェック後はこちら] |
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2006-12-27 Wed 11:59
I have four blogs. Keeping a blog (diary) everyday is very hard. The other my blogs feature my hobbies. Writing my hobby is relatively easy, but it is very hard for me to write something about an uneventful life.
This is just my excuse. hehehe.(^_^;) [ネイティブチェック後はこちら] |
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2006-12-26 Tue 08:12
For Japanese people the winter solstice has a special meaning. Also, the summer solstice, the vernal equinox and the autumnal equinox have the same meanings.
But why? I told my foreign client that it was Winter Solstice Day. He asked me if I had an interest in astronomy. Japan has the four seasons and we enjoy the changes of the seasons. But Western people also enjoy each season. When I was asked, “Why?”, I couldn’t answer the question. [ネイティブチェック後はこちら] |
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2006-12-25 Mon 08:10
I have received a Xmas message. It says, “I wish my dreams would come true sooner.”
But I would like to say, “I hope my dreams will come true sooner.” [ネイティブチェック後はこちら] |
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2006-12-24 Sun 10:47
I wish you all a Merry Christmas!
I don't have a special plan today. hahaha. (^_^;) |
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2006-12-23 Sat 11:59
My grandmother is 93 years old, and living alone at an apartment. My Grandfather passed away two years ago.
I am just curious about her daily life. |
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2006-12-22 Fri 18:26
Speaking of MacDonald’s, one of my seven wonders of the world is the size of MacDonald’s hamburgers. If you have an experience of overseas travel and have ordered meals at a MacDonald’s restaurant, you may have been surprised to see the size of the cup of the beverage. When I visited Singapore, I ordered a large size of Coke because I was very thirsty. The size of the cup was three times larger than Japanese one. The amount looked about 1.5 litters.
One of my seven wonders of the world is the size of MacDonald’s hamburgers. The size of the soft drinks is huge, but the hamburger size is the same as Japanese one. American people are much bigger than Japanese people in general. They eat a huge amount of food compared with Japanese people. Nevertheless, the MacDonald’s hamburger size is the same as Japanese one. In England, the size is the same, too. When I was a kid, I saw an American baseball player, who was playing in a Japanese pro baseball team, buying a MacDonald’s hamburger. I thought at that time that he could eat 10 hamburgers. But he bought only one. Now I suspect that American people eat MacDonald's hamburgers as Oyatsu, a snack between lunch and supper. [ネイティブチェック後はこちら] |
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2006-12-21 Thu 17:44
 Big Mac used to be my favorite. But now I never order it at MacDonald’s restaurant, because there is too much calorie in it. Mega Mac will be added on the menu. There are two pieces of Hamburg steak in Big Mac. In Mega Mac, there are four pieces of Hamburg steak. I want to try it just for once. (^-^) Its calorie is 754kcal. It is worth the calorie when a baseball pitcher plays 9 innings. [ネイティブチェック後はこちら] |
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2006-12-20 Wed 17:48
It has been 15 years since the concept of Sexual Harassment was introduced in Japan. Though the definition has been a little changed since then, my company has made rules about Sexual Harassment, and the employees have obeyed the regulations.
In the meantime, recently the concept of Power Harassment has been introduced in Japan. I attended the lecture, too. People in a managerial position in the industry must not shout at their subordinates, nor call them “お前”. (I don’t know the suitable English word for OMAE, but maybe it is “Hey You!”) I believe that middle managers must suffer from more stress, because they have to treat their subordinates like a prince and princess, otherwise they will be sued! On the other hand, middle managers would be shouted by their big bosses, because such old people could never try to understand the Power Harassment. [ネイティブチェック後はこちら] |
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2006-12-19 Tue 08:40
One Seg is a type of digital broadcasting way used for mobile phones and car navigations. Today I saw the TV broadcasting program with a mobile phone for the first time. One of my colleagues at my office bought a Soft Bank phone. He showed it to me. The picture was very clear. I thought I wanted it.
But I also thought that where and when I can watch the one seg TV programs. On weekdays, there are no interesting TV programs during lunchtime. Also, during my commuting time on the train. I prefer to check the news on the Net and email with my mobile phone on the train. I have come to the conclusion that One Seg TV is unnecessary to me. [ネイティブチェック後はこちら] |
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2006-12-18 Mon 23:04
I always arrive at my office around 7:00 in the morning. I usually check email and world news (including entertainment news). As I am a morning person, I have a clear head in the morning. A good idea always comes across my mind in the morning. So two hours before the start of the business day is my precious time.
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2006-12-17 Sun 11:43
Further to my comment on the day before yesterday, I am writting.
Matsuzaka doesn't deserve 6 billion yen. He is not necessarily a No.1 pitcher in Japan. Actually many good players are not allowed to challenge the major league. First, he was very lucky to be allowed to leave the team. Second, he was very lucky to be able to match with the times. I mean the owner of Red Sox invested just in the Japanese market, not Matsuzaka. Even if he cannot win many times, the owner would be happy. That is because Matsuzaka is just a commercial item to call Japanese corporations in Boston. This is just a money game to earn more money. I don't care about his annual salary. I am envious of his special ability to be able to match with the times and get a lucky break. There is a saying in Japan, 運も実力のうち, “Getting a lucky fortune is also one of his real capabilities.” The day before yesterday I envied his lucky fortune, but now I envy his special ability. I believe that the ability was not given for nothing, but he has acquired it for himself. Of course I am a fan of Matsuzaka, and I am very curious about how he spend the huge money. (^^) [ネイティブチェック後はこちら] |
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2006-12-16 Sat 23:59
 In 1998, I assembled my personal computer for myself for the first time. Since then, the parts of the machine such as memory, hard disk drives and a motherboard etc., have been replaced with the latest ones, and my PC has been continually upgraded. My PC is still powerful compared with other personal computers used at homes and offices. But it seems that the new operating system, Microsoft VISTA, will not work smoothly on my Pentium4 machine. Currently I don't have any problem with my PC, but new software gradually gets adjusted to the new OS. So I will have to throw away my Windows XP machine within 2 years because almost all the parts are useless on the VISTA. [ネイティブチェック後はこちら] |
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2006-12-15 Fri 18:38
Something is wrong. An executive director of Goldman Sachs has got a huge bonus of £50 million, 11.5 billion yen, and Daisuke Matsuzaka, a baseball pitcher, has closed the deal with US$ 52 million, 6.1 billion yen.
How can they spend such a huge money? Many people make the same level of efforts as they did. But God never treats us fairly. This evening I feel a little blue. [ネイティブチェック後はこちら] |
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2006-12-14 Thu 17:43
 I tried vegemite at last, which I wrote about here before. I bought it at an international market store. It cost only 350 yen. It tasted like Japanese Miso, soybean paste, which Beer is poured on, and a lot of salt is added into. The color and softness are completely the same as a chocolate paste. So I put the vegemite and the chocolate paste respectively on two slices of toast. No one could tell the difference between the two. As soon as I put the slice of toast with vegemite into my mouth, I put it out. Who could eat it? I thought that the combination of vegemite and toast was the worst. If you put vegemite on a cucumber at an izakaya, a pub, it might be OK. [ネイティブチェック後はこちら] |
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2006-12-13 Wed 17:29
It is said that the act of crying has a surprising effect of removing stress.
A constituent of blood, Cortisol, which has increased by chronic stress, will reduce by crying. Then, in order to remove my stress accumulated, I am now looking for movies which move me deeply. [ネイティブチェック後はこちら] |
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2006-12-12 Tue 08:00
With reference to Sweety's comment yesterday, I am writing here.
I also like a handwritten post card the best. But in Japan sending a new year's greeting card is like a ceremony or just a greeting. One person sends 100 cards or even 200 cards. Therefore, we need to print the card. Making an email greeting card takes more time and needs more energy. I write a longer message which is suitable for each person in an email greeting card. However, usually a printed card has no message. Of course sometimes a very common short message is written on the card, like "Kotoshi mo Yoroshiku", because there is little space to write in. The address is also printed using address software. So with just two clicks, all the greeting cards can be printed. It is a piece of cake. I want to say again that I like a handwritten post card the best, but unfortunately a new year's greeting card is NOT a handwritten one in many cases. [ネイティブチェック後はこちら] |
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2006-12-11 Mon 08:00
What do you think of email greeting cards?
I prefer an email card to a paper card. This is because I feel warmth and affection from an email card. An email greeting card is sent timely to me. In addition, it is with a moving picture, sound and a long message for each person. In the meantime there is usually no message or a very short common message on a printed-paper card. I even feel businesslike. [ネイティブチェック後はこちら] |
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2006-12-10 Sun 14:09
Recently I have discussed with many people whether or not you should include the names of your family members on a new year's greeting card.
If you are married with some kids, do you print the names of your spouse and children on the back of your greeting card? Some people say that they print all the family members' names because it would be costly and time consuming if they print some versions separately. Others say that they want to be independent, so they would write only his/her name. Come to think of that, it is a little strange that you send a card with your family's name to your friend who does not know about your family at all. Certainly, when you send a greeting card by email, you would never write all your other family's names. I believe that including other family names is just a custom when you ordered to print the card from a printing company in the past. But now you can easily print with your PC and home printer. [ネイティブチェック後はこちら] |
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2006-12-09 Sat 21:30
It is already December! Time flies.
It is about time to think the design of next year's greeting card. Buuuuut this year I have completed the task. (^^♪ All I have to do is print and think who I should send the card. Recently I don’t send the card to my company's colleagues because a trend to do away with formalities is growing in my company. The trend is also increasing all over the world. Around 10 years ago, I exchange X’mas cards with foreign clients, and I put the cards on the wall and enjoyed the beautiful pictures. It was a custom for Western people. But now, only 10% of my clients send me season's greeting cards. Some clients send me by email. I miss putting all the wonderful cards on the wall in my office in December. |
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2006-12-08 Fri 08:00
I have reserved a room for 6 people on New Year's Eve. Actually I needed a room for 7 people, but I could only choose 6 people maximum on the web site of a travel agency, JTB. I called the hotel at night in order to ask for the change of the number of the people. But the front staff insisted that I should ask JTB for the change because I had made the reservation through JTB. I understood what he said. The next day, I called JTB, but the JTB person declined my request saying JTB had agreement with the hotel. He said that JTB could only sell a package plan, which did not include the stay for 7 people, but up to 6 people. I was at a loss. What was I going to do?
The kind JTB person explained a tip to me. In general, at night there is no manager of reservation desk at a hotel, so he suggested that I should call the hotel after 10:30 a.m. again. And then I called the hotel and asked the same request. The person in charge first declined my request, but I asked again. She seemed to ask someone, probably her boss, manager, and then she offered me a special extra price for one additional person's stay. It was very cheap. [ネイティブチェック後はこちら] |
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2006-12-07 Thu 08:46
With reference to Rosily's comment yesterday, I am writing here.
At a business meeting, I have never asked my clients a question about English words and expressions which I had not known. English is just a tool for communication. In other words, unless I have mastered English as a communication tool, I am disqualified for a delegate of the company. I mean that I will be fired unless I can have a good command of English. If I am in NOVA school, I always ask an instructor about the words and phrases that I did not know. I also ask my foreign friends questions many times whenever I cannot understand their English expressions. How do I manage without asking anything at a business meeting? I just pretend that I completely understand their English. hahaha. (汗) When my English level was very low about 10 years ago, say...TOEIC score of at most 700 or so, my heart was always beating fast at the meeting room under so much stress. The most important skill that I have acquired as an international businessperson is how I pretend to fully understand clients’ English. hahaha.(^_^;) [ネイティブチェック後はこちら] |
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2006-12-06 Wed 08:18
Yesterday I was entertained by my client at a Japanese restaurant in Ginza. Kaiseki-ryori, set of dishes on an individual tray was served. It cost around 12,000 yen. It was good, but I felt something was missing. It may be the amount! The restaurant is located in Ginza. It would cost less than half, 5000 yen, in local area.
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2006-12-05 Tue 08:00
 (This picture has nothing to do with the below.) On yesterday's afternoon, I received visitors twice. One was from London, and the other was from Hong Kong. I found myself that I could make up complete English sentences more quickly than before. This proves that writing something in English everyday has a connection with speaking quickly. [ネイティブチェック後はこちら] |
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2006-12-04 Mon 08:00
 Recently Xmas ornaments are seen everywhere in the town. I often see the ornaments in my neighborhood, too. The entrances of many houses are decorated with brilliant Christmas illuminations. Even balconies of apartments are decorated. But what for? If you decorate Xmas tree in your room, it is understandable. You are happy to see it. But even if you decorate outside of the balcony, you cannot enjoy watching it yourself. If an ornament contest is held, it would be OK. This is my recent trifling question. [ネイティブチェック後はこちら] |
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2006-12-03 Sun 13:25
 I walked in a park to watch the autumnal leaves. However, as it was much warmer than usual in October and November, the leaves had not fully turned red and I was not able to enjoy the beautiful scenery. Nevertheless, as the leaves of ginkgo had turned yellow and the ground was covered with yellow carpet, I was happy and took the photographs. [ネイティブチェック後はこちら] |
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2006-12-02 Sat 11:50
 I met Billy at last! Billy was always in my mind during my school days. At that time I could not go to his concert. I had no money and no time. But as I liked his music very much, I performed his songs on the stage at a school festival. Honesty, Stranger, Just the way you are and so on. In those days, I did not know the real meaning of “Just the way you are”. I have had a lot of experience since then. A bitter experience, a funny experience, a happy experience, a painful experience, an unforgettable experience. Now I know the real meaning of "Just the way you are" from various experiences I have ever had in my life. ♪ I do not want clever conversation. I just want someone that I can talk to. I want you just the way you are. ♪ This song brought tears to my eyes somehow at Tokyo Dome. The Dome was full of people in their 40s and 50s.  [ネイティブチェック後はこちら] |
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2006-12-01 Fri 08:00
I heard the interesting fact about Swiss German Language.
As you know, regarding Chinese language, Mandarin and Cantonese are the same in writing. But the pronunciation is different each. It is true of Swiss German. Swiss people speak German, Italian and French in each area. For example, in the area near Germany such as Zurich, they speak German. Their German is the same as the standard German in writing, but Swiss dialect is much different in pronunciation. It is hard for German people to understand Swiss German. It is very interesting for me. Tokyo people could not understand Osaka high school girls’ talk on the train. They speak Osaka dialect very fast. Whenever I come back to Kansai, I could not understand their talk on the first day. But I get accustomed to the speed on the next day. |
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| ちょこっと英文ダイアリー |
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リンク（英語学習仲間）
英文日記を書かれている方、英語学習をしている方、お互い研鑽のために相互リンクしましょう。お声をかけてくださいね。
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