ネイティブが教える英会話のジェムスクール☆Teachers☆

Movies are a favorite passion of mine. I enjoy watching all types of movies depending on my mood and the direction that I want to
guide my emotions. I usually like English movies, but have watched numerous foreign movies to include French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, etc.

There are so many genres to choose from and way too many movies to list that I like. I will say that my favorite movie is currently the Shawshank Redemption about a man falsely accused of a crime he did not commit. He spends about 20 years in jail and slowly learns a lot about what he wants in life. He forms deep and lasting relationships with many of the people he meets in the prison. This is an uplifting movie that points to the special bonds of human relationships and the choice of friendship. I really love this movie!

Whenever I need to enhance my spirits I usually search for a movie to watch that can lead me in the direction I want to go to change my mood. Movie are a great way of entertainment and a unique manner in which to refocus and build on your emotions to grow into a stronger and better person. I find movies fascinating!
  

I've been so impressed with animated films these days. It seems like the writers and artists are trying to tell unique stories. This is the case with Encanto, which is a Disney film about a family with magical talents. There are so many things that the film DOESN'T do, which makes for wonderful surprises. The music is insanely good, not something I would have ever listened to. I also watched this movie several times for the DANCING. You can tell that the animators worked very closely with many styles of dancing. It makes for some amazing musical numbers.   

Snow covered trees are very cool. I really enjoy the way the snow hangs off them and creates interesting shapes. Its also a good indicator of how much snow there was in the evening.  

All of my friends know that I am practically obsessive about chocolate. It is definitely one of my all-time favorite foods.

With that being said, a friend of mine recently gave me a large gift basket filled to the brim with a wide assortment of chocolates. I was very elated to receive this as I actually hadn't eaten chocolate for a very long time.

I tried to practice moderation and self-control, but I'm ashamed to say that the gift basket only lasted three days before it was totally empty. It should have easily lasted two weeks, but such is life.

The more you see, the more you eat!
  

This past Christmas was the second one that I spent consecutively out of America and away from my family. Even though Christmas is celebrated here in Japan, it is nowhere near the same celebration, because here it is more of a couples holiday where people go out of to dinner/on dates. So me and some other teachers decided that we would have a little celebration, because we also did not get to celebrate Thanksgiving.

So we pooled our resources together and cooked a large amount of various foods - for example, the mashed potatoes and stuffing was sent to me by my aunt back in America for a late birthday/Christmas present.

After we ate, I ran a special Christmas themed game of Dungeons and Dragons; all and all it was a really really fun night.


  

As the year comes to and end, it is a good time to reflect on our lives and to make goals for the future. I like to think about some of my favorite parts of the last year. This year has given me so many memories. I got to do so many things, like take mountain drives and see nature. I’m think about what I want to make my goals for the coming year, but I’m not sure yet.

Do you have goals for 2022? What was your favorite part of 2021?


  

Don't be sad



You have a sweet face.


You y'all remember that skit "Pizza face" from the "all that!" tv show? I'm probably showing my age and addiction to media I had as a kid. Damn, they were savage to that kid. I treat my food-faced friends with respect.

  

Don’t you just love tempura? I tried kakiage the other day for the first time. It was delicious! Kagawa is awesome!  

Hello Everyone: For this entry I would like to talk
about Ambrose Bierce, a famous American
author. He was a civil war veteran who made
his living after the war as an author and journalist. His most famous work is "An Occurrence At Owl
Creek Bridge." A short film version of the story
was made for "The Twilight Zone" and is well worth watching if you can find it. He also wrote "The
Devil's Dictionary" a collection of humorous
definitions. Bierce disappeared without a trace
while visiting Mexico later in his life.  

I love Christmas! Although there’s many things I adore about the holiday, gift-giving among close friends and coworkers is by far my favorite part. My coworker and friend gave this cookie to me. It was delightful!  

I enjoy reading very much. I usually read 2 or 3 books per month. It allows me an opportunity to open my mind to other worlds and perspectives. I like to read pretty much anything, but I especially like literature, history, and books about Japan.

Reading a book can take you to far away places and open up feelings and ideas that come from the perspectives of others.
It is a public offering that you take into your private world. I have learned so much from reading and there are many books that
have help give me direction and purpose in my life.

I would like to recommend a few books if I may. These are just ten books that I have read, that have had an impact on my life and how I live it. These are the books:

1. Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
2.100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
3.The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway.
4.The Sea of Fertility (Tetralogy – Four Books) by Yukio Mishima.
5.Forbidden Colors by Yukio Mishima.
6.To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
7.1491 by Charles C. Mann.
8.1493 by Charles C. Mann.
9.The Fourth Turning by William Strauss and Neil Howe.
10.Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins.

The topics vary since I have a variety of interests. I hope that you will pick up a book that catches your eye and delve into
the magic world of the printed word!



  

A friend of mine kindly sent me a box of candy canes. While cleaning, I misplaced them and it was really annoying. Yesterday, I found them behind a box of chocolates. Just in time to place them on my christmas tree!
Regular candy canes are peppermint flavored, but did you know there are other kinds? I used to enjoy strawberry kiwi candy canes or chocolate mint candy canes. I never touched the lemon or banana!   

It is wonderful to have lots of snow but sometimes it is nice to have a sunny day in the winter.  

For months, I was under the impression that my toaster oven was broken because the door wouldn't stay closed. I eventually came to terms with it and just stopped using it.

Then one day I was feeling very productive and I decided that I was going to attempt to fix it myself.
I pulled it out of my closet and opened the toaster oven door and then I realized there was a hinge to attach the retractable grate to. Once I reattached it, it open and shut perfectly. I can't believe it was something so simple! It literally took less than one minute to fix.

Now that it's fixed, I'm really excited to be using it for cooking again. For some dishes, it's much more convenient than a conventional oven.  

As I have for sure mentioned in previous blog posts, I am going to begin a rather intensive study of Japanese in 2022 - beginning in January. So, I have had to purchase some more Japanese language learning materials, and have already decided to purchase some Japanese readers once I am a few units into Tobira Beginning Japanese 1.

Just last week, I had my first of these book deliveries, and these books were about kanji; I spent quite a bit of time doing Google searches and reading the reviews that were posted regarding the books. After receiving and leafing through them, I am overall pleased with the purchase. Even though these books are made for beginning level, they also provide some much needed simple reading and sentence practice utilizing the kanji you have learned in the unit. I am looking forward to diving into this book along with the beginning Tobira book next month.


  

During our X-mas light viewing, we got to ride rides and eat yummy food. I enjoyed riding a roller coaster the best. I’m excited for Christmas. It’s just a few days away!


  

Smores are great treat, and it was so nice to have one again recently.



Mom sent me a care-package last month. I don't miss to much from the states but a few treats are hard to get over here. That "Graham cracker" is a special little cookie and it's a critical component to the smore.

That dude, "Graham" was kind of a nut but from his family came a pretty great cookie when they added sugar.

How do you elevate the smore? I'm not sure it can be done.   

I saw this photo of Tokyo the other day and it made me reminisce of my time there. It’s a great city with awesome architecture!  

Don’t you just love coffee? This cup comes from a cute cafe I found in Kanonji. It’s called Yamaya Steel Coffee and it’s a great little spot!  

Taking a public bath in Japan is a simple and pleasurable act, that both relaxes and rejuvenates your body and mind.
There are two basic types of baths: (1) Onsen - an actual hot spring bath with water used from the natural source of the earth's
geothermal hot water sources, which are abundant in Japan; (2) Sento - the second source is regular water heated by the bath
personnel to various temperatures to sooth your body.

All prefectures in Japan have onsens with Beppu in Kyushu holding the distinction of having the most. The procedure is simple:
enter the bath, pay the fee, enter the locker area, take off your clothes, and enter the bath. Once in the bath you must sit at the
available showers and water spigots to rinse and clean your body. Usually soap, shampoo and rinse are available. Then after
cleansing your body, you may enter any of the available baths. Usually they vary in temperature from super hot, hot, warm, luke
warm and cold. Each temperature will affect and sooth your body in various ways.

Entry costs vary according to location and amount of baths and amenities. Usually the costs are under 1000 yen for daily use,
but occasionally it may be a bit more. The only restrictions are generally no tattoos are allowed, and you must bring your own
towels (one large to dry off and one small to use to scrub your body OUTSIDE the bath - never, ever take the small towel
into the bath itself. This is a bit NO NO!) Other than that you may freely enter and exit the baths as you wish to relax and
replenish your body.

If you have the time or interest, I highly suggest you try the Japanese bath system. It is a great way to boost your body and
mind. ENJOY!