PS Have a look at the Google logo today. It's fantastic!

•  David
• 2009年3月 2日 11:15

I just had a look at the Google logo today. Yes, it's fantastic! It's lovely.
I'll make another comment later.

PS I'd love to listen to your singing;-)

•  Tomo
• 2009年3月 2日 11:34

Hi David,

Yes, I remember what you mentioned when we talked about the Bucket List last year. Actually, I couldn't take photos well with my camera, so I got some photos from a photographer with our group there; my husband and I got some photos done with the Northern Lights in the background.
The Northern Lights which I saw on the first night were more beautiful and huge, but unfortunately I don't have any photos, but remember it vividly.
I think I can burn some of my photos (the Northern Lights, Mt.Mckinley....)onto a CD, and I can give it to you.

You seemed to get a wonderful hobby again! Listening your singing and playing on the headphones sounds OK? Then, how about singing at the event? We have enough time and that sounds a great idea!! Ha, ha, ha...

I had a look at the Google logo today.
It's lively and lovely! The figure second right is "Grinch",right? I like a movie "How the Grinch Stole the Christmas!" acted by Jim Carrey.

Hi everyone,
How is the weather around your area? It's fine here and a daphne flowers scent for the first time this year when I was walking to a supermarket nearby my house.

Speak to you soon,

Anne

•  Anne
• 2009年3月 2日 16:06

Hi Anne,
So you went to Alaska to see the Northern Lights!? I can see how much you enjoyed the trip from your writings. Thank you for the wonderful story. I feel very refreshing to hear that. And yes, I’ve heard that Japanese and Germans are famous for their enthusiasm for the Northern Lights.

•  Jazmin
• 2009年3月 2日 16:34

★【オフ会のお知らせ】★

本日、当日の集合時間、会場などについてメールをさせて頂きました。　届いていない方は再送致しますのでお知らせください。

お知らせのメールには書きませんでしたが、ドレスコードはないので、服装は自由です。　会場は貸切で、ブログのメンバーしかいないので、気軽な服装でどうぞ。（ドレスアップしたい方は好きなだけしてきてください＾＾)

Tomo

•  Tomo
• 2009年3月 2日 17:39

Hi David,
Glad to hear that you had a nice relaxing day yesterday, and congratulations on setting up all the machines. You said before that you were not very good at technical stuff, but you did it all by yourself! I can't set up any electric machines like TVs or video recorders. I'm poor at wiring stuff. Anyway, it seems like you had a lot of fun last night. Good for you! I think you need to have some time to forget about your job once in a while.
By the way, I think that's a great idea to put up the photos Anne took in Alaska on the blog.（Anne, 写真とCD、忘れないで下さいね～♪）

Hi Kazu,
I know what you mean. Some days I find it easy to write in English, but other days I find it difficult to do it. そんな時には休憩が必要ですね～。

Hi Anne,
I also thought that it was a good idea to listen to David's singing at the blog event. Actually, we can have a piano and a microphone in the room if we ask the people at the hotel and pay for it, but I guess David would say, “Absolutely not!”(笑)

See you soon,

Tomo

•  Tomo
• 2009年3月 2日 18:37

Hi David and everyone,

I have an electric piano, too. It was made by "Roland". Roland is a really famous keyboard maker and you can often see its logos on the back of their products when you watch live performances or music shows on TV.
I had thought Roland was a British company for some reason. I guess it was because the appearance or tone of their name.
Actually,it's a Japanese company. I knew it just when I bought the electric piano.
One more thing, Edwin is also a Japanese jeans manufacturer not from USA. "Ed" means "Tokyo" and "win" means "defeat USA". I was taught that only a few years ago. I like that kind of wit and strong will.

Hi Anne,
You're lucky to see the Northern Lights! I wonder whether I should watch them in Finland or in North America. Which would you recommend? Both? I totally agree with that.

Appoh

•  Appoh
• 2009年3月 2日 21:33

Hi David,
You got interested in song-writing? Last night, you did set up all the machines to sing and play? Your hobby is nice! I want to listen to your singing!

Hi Tomo,
You can have a piano and a microphone in the event's room if you ask the people at the hotel and pay for it? If I could join the event, I would accompany David on the piano!

Hi Anne,
I'm glad to hear your trip was wonderful. You are so lucky to see the Northern Lights, right? I want to see it! Thanks for sharing your wonderful story. I enjoyed reading it.

Hi everyone,
Today, I went to watch the movie "おくりびと" with my grandmother. As you know, that movie is Oscar winner. Today was weekday, but the theater was full, and the movie was very good. We laughed and cried.

Amica

•  Amica
• 2009年3月 2日 22:14

Hi Tomo,

メール受け取りましたよ。ありがとう。

Ａｎｎｅ

•  Ａｎｎｅ
• 2009年3月 2日 22:22

Hi David,
I'm one of people who agree with Anne's idea that you will sing a song with a piano at the event!;-)
It sounds good. Don't you think?!

I'm sorry that I missed the Google logo yesterday, and it is back to normal today, of course...

Hi Everyone,
How's the weather in your area? I hear that they have some snow in Tokyo. Please keep you warm and don't catch a cold!

By for now,

Maki

•  Maki
• 2009年3月 3日 23:11

Hi Kazu,
Sometimes you are not in the mood to write or think in English, and last night was such a day for me.
そんな時もありますよね～。

Hi Appoh,
Seeing them both in Finland and in North America?
That's a good idea!

Hi Jazmin,
Yes! You know why? According to a guide there, both Japanese and Germans are so diligent that they( of course including Japanese) are able to be enthusiastic with these kinds of uncertain things.
That's the answer Americans found out. I heard another idea; it's from a Japanese person who answered an interview , and he/she says Japanese people think it's romantic to conceive a baby under an aurora, so that's why a lot of Japanese visit Alaska. Actually this story is aired on TV ; not only on usual programs but also on programs sponsored by Alaska University! Isn't it embarrassing?

Hi Amica,
Did you watch "おくりびと”？I haven't watched it yet, but I'd love to !

Hi David and everyone,
I got the book " Outliers" the day before yesterday.
Hmm...it's challenging! Look forward to reading the book.

Bye for now,

Anne

•  Anne
• 2009年3月 3日 23:12

Hi Tomo and Anne,

Thank you for your sugar-coat expressions.
Actually, I wanted to write in English here.
But I couldn't come up with anything in English.
Maybe, my English is rushing around in my brain.

Hi everyone,

According to weather forecast, this Kanto area was going to be a snow.
But actually it wasn't so much.
How about your area?

===================================
備考　come up with ～ ＝ 考えなどを思いつく　
　　　 sugar-coat　＝　？

•  Kazu
• 2009年3月 4日 09:27

Hi David and everyone,

Here's my translation.

『そうだね、もうすぐイベントだね。　みんなに会えるのが楽しみです。

昨日はのんびりできたんだ。　去年の夏に北海道の帰りのフェリーで知り合った人と、一緒にバイクで出かけて来ました。　彼は私と同じバイクに乗ってて、名古屋に住んでいるんだ。　だから、一緒に走りに行こうって話してたんだよね。　でも、このエントリーのタイトルは、昨日の夜のこと、バイクから帰ってきて、オフィスで少し仕事をした後のことなんだ。

北海道のアパートに住んでいた時、電子ピアノを買ったんだ。　本物のピアノは置けなかったからね。　1戸建てに引越した時に、本物のピアノを買ったんだけど、電子ピアノは、売っても大した額ならないからそのまま取っておいたんだ。　一時、作曲とレコーディングに興味があって、シンセサイザーモジュール、マイク、レコーダー・ミキシングデスクを買ったんだけど、すごく複雑な機械だから、その時は友達につないでもらったんだ。　ニュージーランドに引越した時は、スペースがあまりなかったから、ピアノだけ出して、残りの機械は箱に入れたままにしておいた。　名古屋に来た時は、電子ピアノをリビングに置いたから、機械のぐちゃぐちゃな配線が嫌で、出さなかったんだ。　瀬戸に引越してきた時、本物のピアノをまた買ったから、電子ピアノと他の機械は2階の1室に置いたんだ。　つないでみたんだけど動かなくて、それっきりそのまま放置。。
昨夜、どういう訳か、もう一度配線に挑戦してみようと思ったんだ。　やってみたら、今度はうまくいった！　これで、マイクとヘッドフォンを使って、弾き語りの練習ができるっていうことなんだけど、こんなに楽しかったなんてすっかり忘れてたよ！　私の歌は人に聞かせられるようなものじゃないと思うけど、でも、マイクとエコーがあると、ヘッドフォン越しにはOKかなって感じだったんだ。　結局、いろんな曲を弾いちゃって、1時過ぎまで起きてた。　こんなに楽しかったのは久しぶり！

残念ながら、今日は仕事がたくさんあって、オフィスに早く来なくちゃいけなかったんだ。　午後は本のデザインのことで印刷会社に行って、その後は、もう一冊の本をチェックしてくれる人に会う予定です。

追伸：　Anne、すっごくうらやましいよ！　オーロラを見に行くことは、死ぬ前に絶対やろうって思ってることの1つなんだ。　もし写真をCDに焼いて、イベントの時に渡してくれれば、みんなが見れるようにブログに載せるよ。』

Appoh - I didn't know that Edwin was a Japanese jeans manufacturer. "Ed" means "Tokyo" and "win" means "defeat USA". That's interesting!

Amica - 伴奏はまた次の機会にでもね♪

Anne - 了解です＾＾

Maki - It snowed a little last night, but the snow melted away soon, and now it's raining.

Kazu - You are welcome, but what do you mean by 'sugar-coat expressions'?

See you soon,

Tomo

•  Tomo
• 2009年3月 4日 15:46

Hi Anne,
Wow! Really? I had no idea why Japanese and Germans are so much fascinated by the Northern Lights. We may have the sense of awe towards Mother Nature, I wonder? The story about ‘practices’ under the Northern Lights smells fishy(ーー;)　It IS embarrassing!(>_Hi Anne,
Wow! Really? I had no idea why Japanese and Germans are so much fascinated by the Northern Lights. We may have the sense of awe towards Mother Nature, I wonder? The story about ‘practices’ under the Northern Lights smells fishy(ーー;)　It IS embarrassing!(>_

•  Jazmin
• 2009年3月 4日 16:13

はい、Tomo,

sugar-coatの使い方、間違って使っているのかどうか
分かりませんが、言いたかった事は、
「やさしく包んでくれた言い回し」でありがとうと言う感謝の
気持ちを述べたかったのですが、はたして正しい使い方
なのか自信がありません。(^_^;)

Kazu

•  Kazu
• 2009年3月 4日 17:19

Hi Kazu,

なるほど、そういう意味でしたか～。　でも、私やAnneが書いたことは本当のことですよ。　誰にでもそういう日があります。
ところで、sugar-coat/sugarcoat についてちょっと調べてみましたが、これは動詞なので、Kazuが使いたかった文でいくと、sugar-coated/sugarcoated になるのかな、と思います。　でも、この表現の意味や例文を見ると、‘やさしく包んでくれる’というよりは、‘よく見せかける（虚飾）’という、ちょっとマイナスのニュアンスがありそうです。

Tomo

•  Tomo
• 2009年3月 4日 19:07

Hi Tomo,

sugar-coatについて調べてくれてありがとう。m(_ _)m

私が、「英語で何も書けなかったんだよ～」って書き込みに対して
TomoやAnneが、そう言う時もある、そう言う気分じゃない時もある、と「柔らかな表現に直して」くれたからシュガーコートしてくれたって思ったんですよね～(^_^;)
マイナスのイメージしかないのかどうかよくわからずに使ってしまいました。でも、間違うことで覚えることもあるかと思い、間違いを恐れずに投稿しました。ここで情報を共有できれば、正しい使い方をみんなが共有できるから～(^_^;)
これからも間違っていたらみなさんご指摘下さい。m(_ _)m

Kazu

•  Kazu
• 2009年3月 4日 19:41

Hi David and everyone,

The blog event is getting nearer. I'm going to be fun to meet you, seriously. I have been struggling with PC troubles for a long time and lost my free
time and very tired, but I recovered a bit.

Yes, I know, the blog meeting event is getting close, but I'd been escaping from commenting
for two weeks more.
I was getting impatient with my PC condition and took the waiting time.
So I was taking a break from commenting, that my comment may get off the track of main topic.

Anyway, I've read David's entry and member's comments yesterday. In reading two week's comment, I was refreshed little by little. Then from now on, I'm going to make some comments constantly even if short.

Tomo,
I got your email about blog event. By the way, ten members including David? I'm remembering now, David, Tomo, Anne, Maki, Lily, Kazu, ...and me. I'm sorry, I don't remember, help!!

David,
I'm looking forward to meeting you and hearing your song. As for reading club seems a bit difficult, but it might be interesting. You like Hokkaido, I'm too.

Anne,
I look forward to meeting you and to watching your photographs of UK and the Northern Lights(aurora) and Trans-Siberian Railway.

Kazu,
I used a phrase in your 備考. It is good idea and helpful.

Maki,
It is just early spring, as a song 早春賦. At the same time, many people who wear a large mask are becoming popular day by day around my area. According to the pollen information, by the global warming, it will start earlier this year.

Bye for now,

Kiyoko

•  K
• 2009年3月 5日 11:49

Hi David,
Singing along with an instrument sounds fun.
I think　singing helps reduce stress.

Hi Anne,
Thank you for telling us about your trip.
I am looking foward to seeing the photos too.
By the way,is it challenging for you to read the book? It would be much tougher for me than I had expected.

Hi Lily,
You finally became a translator. Enjoy your new life.

Hi Tomo,
You seem to be busier than usual.
The big event is coming soon. Have fun.

•  May
• 2009年3月 5日 15:30

Hi K,

At the end of your comment, you wrote:

At the same time, many people who wear a large mask are becoming popular day by day around my area.

A lot of Japanese people have problems with this pattern, so if you don't mind, I will write the correct version so that everyone can learn it.

More and more people are wearing masks in the area where I live.

Masks are becoming more and more common in the area where I live.

•  David
• 2009年3月 5日 17:34

Hi Kiyoko,
There will be ten people at the blog event - David, Anne, Maki, Lily, Amo, Appoh, Kazu, Gussan, you and me. It should be fun!

Hi May,
Thanks for your message. I can't wait for the event!

See you soon,

Tomo

PS David, are you enjoying your new (old?) hobby?

•  Tomo
• 2009年3月 5日 18:28

Hi Tomo,

Do you know Bobson and BigJohn ? They're Japanese jeans manufacturers as well as Edwin.
"Bob" means "USA" because it's a common and typical name in USA such as "一郎" in Japan. "Son" means "損させる" or "cause a loss".
Then, Bobson implies "defeat USA".
BigJohn came from their founder's name, "小太郎". "John" is an American counterpart of "太郎". So, it should've been "LittleJohn" but the founder was filled with ambition to be successful in USA.
Then, he changed "LittleJohn" into "BigJohn".
Isn't it fascinating?

Appoh

•  Appoh
• 2009年3月 5日 21:14

Hi Appoh,

Yes, I know Bobson and BigJohn, but I didn't know they were also Japanese jeans manufacturers!
It seems like all of them imply "defeat USA", or they seem to have a strong rivalry with USA.
Thanks for sharing the interesting stories. You know a lot of things!

Tomo

•  Tomo
• 2009年3月 5日 22:03

Hi Kiyoko,
Spring is already in your area?! It sounds lovely, but
are you one of people who need a mask? If so, please take care!

Hi Appoh,
Your topic is interesting! I knew that Bobson, BigJohn and Edwin are Japanese companies, but I didn't know the names have such meanings. Thanks for the informations.

By for now,

Maki

•  Maki
• 2009年3月 5日 22:20

Hi David,
Thank you for your showing the correct version.The latter is interesting and easier than the former, because the mask is the subject.

Hi Tomo,
Thank you for your treatment of the blog event. Your readership is really great.

Hi Appoh,
Your story is fascinating to me. I know Edwin, but I didn't know Edwin was Japanese jeans manufacturers. It's amazing!

Hi Maki,
Fortunately, I haven't a pollen allergy. Masks are becoming more and more common in the area where I live, since the first wind of spring. According to their story, recent days, high tech masks are popular in their group.

Good night,

Kiyoko

•  Kiyoko
• 2009年3月 6日 23:22

Hi,David!

>I don't think my singing is something that other people would want to listen to, but with the micrphone and the reverb machine, it actually sounds okay on the headphones.

I think this situation is so cute!!!

What a kind of music you like?
I'm so,so,so,big fan of "New Order"!

Sometimes I try to translate their lyrics into Japanese,besides ordinary learning. But,always I'm confused by Berny1
As reading a lyric,I notice that broken grammar,and a lot of coinage of new words,and its meaning is so vague,and when the sentence is end???
Please help me!!!

I realized that Lyric is not so easy to understand,even it is short!

•  匿名
• 2009年5月12日 05:16

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•  bilete avion
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