Hi David,
Wow! The colors of the sea and the island are completely different from the 'before' one! You can also erase ski tracks with that software?? That's amazing!

As for the topic, I'll write about it later because I'm too sleepy to think of anything and can't post a comment from my computer tonight.

Hi Tsuneko,
I like that song! I often listen to the song "Last Christmas" around this time of year, but I didn't notice it said "Once bitten, twice shy" in the lyrics. I only remember this part, "Last Christmas I gave you my heart. ... ... ... I'll give it to someone special."(We can't post the lyrics here, so please fill in the blanks in your head;-))

Hi Nao,
Yes, we watched 3 parades there, "White Holiday", "Jubilation!", and "Electrical Parade Dreamlights". We all enjoyed them, but my daughter seemed to be the happiest of us all. She was screaming, waving at the characters, and dancing to the music（笑）

See you tomorrow,

Tomo

PS David, I think you forgot to tell us the answer to the quiz.

•  Tomo
• 2009年12月14日 23:02

Hi David,

It's been a long time since I've posted last comments.
I was hesitating to post my comments here because of lack of my English skill.
But once and for all I've decided to write something here in English.
Fortunately this time's topic is fit for me.
I used to use a photoshop and also I'm a student of some English conversation school.
My idea might be useful for you.

First of all, let me talk about photshop.

Photoshop is a great software, isn't it?
You can change the color and brightness, also there are many effective something.
Once you use it, it is hard to stop it.
In a way it is very an addictive.
I know the people who are making an article something is using a photoshop and illustrator.
These software is necessary for them.

By the way, let me talk about English conversation school.
First of all, you seems to know about some idea from people who are interested in learning English.
Actually I'm a student of some English conversation.
If you have any question I can answer you.
Please ask me without hesitating.

Oh, guess what!
I bought a book that you have be interviewed.

I have been learning English at English conversation school.
Needless to say, I love that school.
I know there are many idea about that.
There are people who don't want to pay money for it.
I'm sure I can understand it but also I know the people who want to pay for it a lot.
It is a individual choice.
I can understand both of way.
I like a conversation in English.
I'm satisfied to what belonged to that school.
Needless to say, I'm satisfied to what belonged to this blog too.

Talk to later.

Kazu

•  Kazu
• 2009年12月14日 23:26

Hi Kazu,

Great to have you back with us. Thanks for your comment.

•  David
• 2009年12月14日 23:31

Hi David & Everyone,
It seems to be very interesting if you can use Photoshop freely!

I came back from Yokohama tonight. I feel it's really cold here after spending three days in Kanto area and also I'm a bit tired and sleepy, so I will write more tomorrow.

Bye for now,

Maki

•  Maki
• 2009年12月14日 23:50

Hi David and everyone,
I’ve heard of some one-day seminars, but most of them were business-oriented and focused on specific purposes like “basic business conversation” or “e-mail writing.”

I’m not sure the kind of seminar you explained will appeal to people. First of all, I can’t quite picture what kind of target audience you have in mind. In my opinion, people who are willing to study by themselves are not likely to attend ordinary how-to seminars. There are lots of learning materials, websites, radio programs, podcasts, how-to books and etc. So, I guess you will have to think of something unique to your approach.

As for conversation schools, people who know how to learn make the most of the lessons. I can say that much for sure because I’d been taking English lessons for a long time and once was giving lessons too. They just need to understand that English lessons are like piano lessons and it takes everyday practice to acquire any skills. (I think someone said that before in this blog. Was that you?) Teachers are supposed to teach that to their students. But I don’t think that’s something you can teach in a day…

Well, I’m getting off the track. So that’s all for today. Good night.

P.S.
Tsuneko, thanks for your kind words :-)

•  Lily
• 2009年12月15日 00:32

Hi David and everyone

There was a farewell and welcome party after work today. I was a little drunk so I am in heaven now.
I have just read your new entry, but I do not think of anything right now.
I will do another entry later.

speak to you soon,

•  amo
• 2009年12月15日 00:38

Hi everyone

It seems I had a little too much to drink last night than I thought.

correction

I was a little drunk...
→I am a little drunk...
but I do not think of anything right now.
→but I can not think of anything right now.

•  amo
• 2009年12月15日 09:04

Hi David, Lily, Kazu and everyone,

I need more time to consider your new idea.

amo,

I felt you were different as usual that was fun, particularly in the phrase, "~, so I am in heaven now."

Tomo,

You like it? Just after the part you remember that is repeated twice or 3 times, and then "Once bitten and twice shy" apprears. Enjoy singing it at karaoke next time(I've never tried yet).

tsuneko

•  tsuneko
• 2009年12月15日 10:31

Hi David,

I have been an enthusiastic reader of your blog for quite some time, but this is the first time I have posted a comment. I'm continually inspired by the way you write English, because you keep it pretty simple for English learners, but in a way that is nothing short of the excellence, which is something that I truly aspire to not only in terms of language but also of life-style.

Regarding the following line you wrote:
"The focus would not be so much on teaching them English, but more about teaching them how to study."
For one reason or another, although it may sound odd to you in a way, that line reminded me of this phrase: "Don't give them a fish, teach them how to fish." I'm not so sure whether or not it's a saying, or how it is actually expressed in English, but it's something that I read somewhere in a novel, that keeps coming back to mind. In my understanding, the basic concept of that phrase, as an example, is that, when someone asks you about a problem of, say, algebra, the best thing to do is give them not only the answer (or sometimes it's better not to give the answer) but also the idea of how to approach the problem so that they can solve it by themselves next time they encounter a similar obstacle. When it comes to language, I believe there is no one answer to a problem: there are as many answers as people. So it's probably best to teach how to do it instead of simply giving the answer to whatever problem a student is facing.

Lastly, concerning the photographs you've worked on with Photoshop, the difference between before and after the adjustment is glaringly obvious, which is why many people say Photoshop is the best software available for photo editing. I look forward to seeing more photographs from you.

All the best from Japan.

•  Haruki
• 2009年12月15日 11:09

Hi David,
Have you been busy at another work? Your bike may slightly jeaulous of your new computer.

I finally got the January issue of English Journal. I heard your interview and read the script. Of couse I found tomo's name in it.

As for the word "except",I read the page 120 of "英語じょうずになるなる事典”. I remembered what I had forgotten.

By the way,you will be a full-time writer? your new computer seems to help edit your coming books.

Hi Tsuneko,
I enjoyed reading your story. When I read some mistakes of Japanese learners,I thought I have probably made a lot of the similar mistakes in English. Especially I may make the sentences like "風邪を引いたと聞いて驚愕しました”, but making mistakes have a good aspect for me. When I make mistakes ,it remains in my memory easily. Oops, I almost confused "remain" with "remind".

By for now,

May

•  May
• 2009年12月15日 12:05

Hi Tomo

Your daughter also had a great time in Disneyland.That's so nice:)By the way you watched 3 parades?Awesome!

Hi David

First,I answer your question about one-day English seminar.I think English seminar as you said isn't popular.Of course I have heard of any one-day English seminars in Japan,and I have been there several times,but they weren't seminars like your idea.For example I have attended a one-day English seminar for pronunciation.I only learned some sound-alike words,and I didn't think it was very useful for me because I just knew the words.I think these seminars is effective by going regular classes,but I think your seminar is effective without going regular classes.In fact I felt the effect of your teaching when I challenged on this blog.I realized that it's important to learn how to study English at the begining.Your teaching was amazing for me because I didn't have an idea that I learn natural English phrases.I think your idea is definitely good.
Hope all goes well with you.I hope this helps.

Nao

•  匿名
• 2009年12月15日 16:48

Hi David and everyone,

I have heard of some one-day seminars, but I've never attended any of them.(If that‘Charity English Day’in Seto was a one-day seminar, I have done it once.) As you know, I've never been to eikaiwa schools either, so I don't know much about them. Before I joined this blog and read your books, I believed that the best way to learn English was to go to English speaking countries(or to an eikaiwa school), or there was a special way to learn, but I was absolutely wrong. As you say, it's just how much you have studied and practiced.

＜I was thinking that there are probably quite a few people who don't want to spend a lot of money signing up for eikaiwa lessons, and also a lot who cannot make the time to go to classes regularly,

I think so, too, and I was(am) one of them. I also think that the best way to learn is to study by yourself. I don't mean to say that eikaiwa schools are not effective, but you need to study and practice outside classroom as well.
As for your idea, I think it's very useful for those people to learn how to study, but I think they also need some support from you after learning it. As you know, learning a language is not easy, and it takes a long time. The most difficult part is keep going or to keep your motivation. I don't know if I could keep up without this blog community.

See you soon,

Tomo

•  Tomo
• 2009年12月15日 23:28

Sorry! I forgot to say this.

Hi Haruki,
Welcome to the blog!

•  Tomo
• 2009年12月15日 23:41

Hi Haruki,

Welcome to the blog. The expression in English is "Give a man a fish and feed him for a day; teach him how to fish and feed him for life." Or something like that! It's one of my favourite sayings as well.

•  David
• 2009年12月15日 23:46

Hi David and Everyone,
I've just read all your comments in the last entry and I haven't caught up with you for the new one yet. As for the topic, I will think about it later.

Hi trmr and Haruki,
Welcome to the blog! Sorry to be late. I'm looking forward to hearing from both of you again soon.

Hi Tomo,
It's really lovely to know that you had a great time with your family at Disneyland. ;-)

Talk to you later,

Maki

•  Maki
• 2009年12月15日 23:59

Hi David

I bet you are really enjoying learning how to use Photoshop, and it seems interesting too.
Speaking of one-day English seminars, I have heard of them, and most of them are related to business, like Lily mentioned. I thought of taking a seminar once, but I did not. I thought I could learn by myself using Inter net or something like that. So I quite agree with Lily’s comment. You need some unique approach.

Hi Tsuneko and Tomo

I used to listen when “Last Christmas” was released, and I learned the phrase that time. I remember that I thought it was an interesting expression, but I have not had a chance to use it, so I almost forget about it. This time of year you could hear this song anywhere, right?

Hi trmr and Haruki

Welcome to the blog and looking forward your next comments.

bye for now

•  amo
• 2009年12月16日 00:27

Hi David and everyone

I come here again.
I'm glad to be welcomed warmly. Thank you all very much :-)

David

They are beautiful pictures and you retouched very well! I'm looking forward to see your works more.

I know some one-day English seminars. I saw those informations at the company. Of course, all of those are for business.
I'm interested in the seminar you approached. "How to learn" is very important.
As Tomo and Lily said, it is important that continuing learning, too. One of my favorite words is 継続は力なり.
It is good that teaching how to continue learning English in your seminar.

•  trmr
• 2009年12月16日 00:45

Hi Haruki

Welcome to this blog!Let's study together:)

Nao

•  Nao
• 2009年12月16日 09:42

Thank you so much, David, for the kind response and for telling me the English expression. Afterward I retrieved the saying and was able to find out that it is originally a Chinese proverb by an unknown author. I'm glad to hear you also liked it!

Also big thanks to Tomo, Maki, amo, and Nao for the warm welcome! I can't express enough how grateful I am for being involved in such a cozy and inviting community.

Haruki

•  Haruki
• 2009年12月16日 10:17

Hi David and everyone,
How's the weather where you are? It's very cold here today. Be careful not to catch a cold!

Hi May,
I agree with your idea. Let's make a lot of mistakes here and learn from them;-) By the way, I used to get confused with 'except' and 'expect'. They look similar, don't they?

Hi Nao,
I understand what you mean. You learned a lot of things from that challenge, not only about English but also about how to study, right?

Hi Maki,
Thanks for your comment:) Yes, we all had a lovely time and felt very Christmassy there!

Hi amo,
You are right, you can hear Christmas songs everywhere around this time, and they make me feel Christmassy, especially the songs "Last Christmas" and "Christmas Eve"(song by Yamashita Tatsuro).

Hi trmr and Haruki,
Glad to see your comments again! I hope you two will become regulars:)
By the way, I also checked the saying Haruki mentioned in Eijiro. It's an interesting proverb and very true!

Talk to you soon,

Tomo

•  Tomo
• 2009年12月16日 11:58

【訂正】
The most difficult part is keep going... → The most difficult part is to keep going...

song by Yamashita Tatsuro → sung by Yamashita Tatsuro

•  Tomo
• 2009年12月16日 12:19

Hi trmr and Haruki,
Great to meet you here!

Hi Nao Tomo and Maki,
I've got something to ask you about.
What do you mean by :) or :-) ?

Hi team,
We see a lot of books relating to studying English in almost every bookstore in Japan.
However, we hardly see any books about studying a second language in the US.
It's not fair, I have to say. They can spend time doing something else while we are strugling with English.

•  Appoh
• 2009年12月16日 13:09

Hi David and everyone,

About this week’s topic:
I‘ve listened to several lectures concerning with English and have been taking discussion class at the community college, but I’ve never taken one-day or two day English seminars.
I know there are English seminars such as “how to improve pronunciation” or something like that. I understand it would capture English learners attention because people want to get some advice from native speakers, and they don’t need to attend class regularly.
I agree with what you said,” there are probably quite a few people who don't want to spend a lot of money signing up for eikaiwa lessons, and also a lot who cannot make the time to go to classes regularly.”
That’s why a lot of people are learning by themselves.
As Lily mentioned, I think “something” that let people want to take your lessons is important. You said, “It’s just an idea at the moment,” so I should not say this or that, but I wonder what level of learners you are going to target.
Actually, it is oblivious that you can’t expect improve English without self study wherever you may study; at Eikaiwa school or at home.
As for the disadvantages in self-study, I figured out few points below:
* too difficult to motivate
* can’t feel sense of progress
* hoving
* fuzzy goal
* can’t find the proper goal( mismatch goal)
I know your seminars is effective because I’ve been joining this blog and I’m sure most of the members here have the same feeling, but still I’m interested in how
you are going to do seminars.

Hi Haruki,
Welcome to the blog!
Proverb You mentioned is interesting.
Speaking of a horse, I remember another proverb" You can't take a horse to water but you can't make it drink." This is one of my favorite proverbs.

Hi tsuneko,
"Once bitten and twice shy"→It's new to me! Interesting!

Hi May,
'expect', 'except', 'excerpt'..... These are really confusing,right?

Hi Appoh,
What do you mean by :) or :-) ?→I also want to know about these marks!
By the way, In the US, you hardly see any books about studying a second language? There are a lot of people from other countries, and ... that's terrible!

Bye for now,

Anne

“

•  Anne
• 2009年12月16日 14:01

Hi Tomo

That's right,As you said,I learned both English and how to study.I think my English changed thanks to David's English learnig .I had just replaced Japanese words by English words before David taught me how to study,so my English still remains bad English.I have studied English for 14 years,and I learned English to pass exams,but I couldn't learn natural English.When I started that challenge,I don't think my English is unnatural,so I couldn't understand what David means.Later I understood what David told me.Now I'm sorry that my English isn't good,but I feel my English changes,and I also think my English library became useful.In fact I enjoy talking with my foreign friends because I have a useful English library.(Of course my English library is still poor.I know!)David is the first teacher that taught me practical English!

Nao

•  Nao
• 2009年12月16日 16:44

Hi Appoh and Anne

I answered your question,but my comment will be checked by management of this blog:(,so I'm sure that my comment will be put later.
Please wait it.(If the comment won't be put,I post another comment.)

Nao

•  Nao
• 2009年12月16日 16:58

Hi Anne

I am sure that you just mistyped

" You can't take a horse to water but you can't make it drink."

→　　" You can take a horse to water but you can't make it drink."

I am still at my office,
so bye for now

•  amo
• 2009年12月16日 19:17

Hi amo,
Bingo! Thank you for correcting my mistakes! My original sentence doesn't make sense....
By the way, I hope you won't read my comment at the office and are on your way home.

Anne

•  Anne
• 2009年12月16日 20:06

It's me again.

My comment may be rejected,so I answer Appoh's question again.

:) means smile.':' means eyes,and ')' means lips.I like :) marks.
I hope this helps.

Nao

•  Nao
• 2009年12月16日 20:18

Hi Appoh,
As for your question, :-) is a smile and ;-) is a smile with a wink. BTW, you hardly see any books about studying a second language in the US?! In a way, we see too many books for English learning here in Japan?!

Hi David,
I've heard of some one-day seminars and also ALC holds various ones every month, so I can say that these are a popular thing in Japan.
As for your idea, I think it's very useful for some people who want to study English by themselves, as I just collected some English learning books before joining this blog. But as Tomo mentioned, they need series of support and advice from you after learning how to study. I think this helps them to keep their motivation and to keep going. Anyway, I'm interested in how you will manage the seminar.

It's already midnight. Sweet dreams!

Maki

•  Maki
• 2009年12月17日 00:17

Hi Anne

My pleasure!!
I was a bit confused when I read your comment. I have heard that proverb in Japanese, but I did not know how to say it in English. At first, I assumed that my understanding was wrong, but as you said, your sentence did not make any sense…so…
Anyway, I also thank you I learned that expression in English.
By the way, I read your comment when I was on my way home from work.

•  amo
• 2009年12月17日 00:30

Hi David,

Sorry for my late comment for this week’s topic. I have been thinking of it like “If I were you, how should I do?”. In my personal opinion, you should stop leaving Nanzan at the moment. You are supposed to get Ph.D. soon and can be a professor soon, right? Nanzan is known well and its title helps your idea appeal to a lot of Japanese people. Can’t you do one- and two-day seminars step by step while you are at Nanzan, even though you cannot concentrate on this and writing books so much. After a couple years of preparation, you can start in full time. During the period of trial, you can adjust something. Or, can you get a chance to teach via NHK radio, TV, or the Internet? University must have lots of regulations. Is it difficult to realize your ideas while you are staying? If you have already told the office, just ignore this, please.

Hi Haruki,

Nice to meet you!　よろしくおねがいします。

Hi amo,

I found a mistake in my last comment for you. > You were different AS usual that was fun(これじゃあ、いつものように?). I meant “You were different FROM usual that was fun.”
Sorry for that!

Hi May,

You enjoyed? Reading that mail, I got 驚愕because I had just a cold. I used to be stuck when I wrote some complicated Kanji wrongly or totally forgot how to write on the white board. The more I look at Kanji, the more I get confused. Chinese-origin-students were so happy to help me. Both for students and teachers, making mistakes is more of an advantage than a disadvantage. So, I’m looking forward to encountering any mistakes I make and you make(笑). ね、Tomo.

tsuneko

•  tsuneko
• 2009年12月17日 00:33

Hi Nao,
Thanks for letting us know about marks.
I got it.

Anne

•  Anne
• 2009年12月17日 00:42

Hi Nao,
Thank you. (^.^)/~~~

•  Appoh
• 2009年12月17日 11:09

Hi David and everyone.

I've read an English journal.

Your idea, circle not ladder.
When I see it as a circle I agree with your idea.

In my opinions,

We learners need to repeat to take skill of English.
I need more practice.
I sometimes can make a sentence without thinking but sometimes I can't make any sentence.
As you mentioned, it's like a roller coasters.
Now I'm in the bottom of bending rail.
That is when I need some idea from such a seminar.
But actually I've never participated to such a seminar.
Even if I would participate to such a seminar it is just only part of circle.

What do you think?

Kazu

•  Kazu
• 2009年12月17日 11:22

Hi Maki,
Thank you （＾ｖ＾）

•  Appoh
• 2009年12月17日 11:46

Hi Nao,
Thanks for your comment. I also think your English has changed, and it's just getting better and better and better! You really are a quick learner.
By the way, I'm afraid I also think your comment was rejected. Actually, the same thing happened to some of us(including me), and our comment didn't show up. I asked a woman who is in charge of this blog about it before, and she said that they never check any comments, so I think the error message automatically appears because of the security system. It's not always the case, but apparently, it often happens when you put a link or some special symbols(tokushu kigou) in your comment.

Hi Appoh and Anne,
As Nao and Maki said, those are English face marks, but they are horizontal, so please lean your head to the left and look at them.

Here are some face marks I've learned so far.(JFYI)

:-) / :) smile (' - ' means nose, and you can cut it.)
;-) wink
:p tongue out
:-D laugh, big smile
:-( sad, depressed
:-O surprised

Hi Kazu,
I don't think you are at the bottom. If you only look forward, you are always at the bottom, but if you look behind, you are always at the top! ;-)

Have a nice day, everyone!

Tomo

PS Tsuneko、そうですね＾＾

•  Tomo
• 2009年12月17日 11:50

Hi David,

Your new idea sounds like a kind of self-development seminar to me. We are likely to love that seminars and many companies offer similar programs to their employees although the programs deal not how to study English but how to motivate yourselves, how to manage your tasks or how to achieve your goals. I mean it's quite popular in Japan.

I'm sure you can attract a lot of learners and they will be really satisfied with the carriculum because they have wanted any solutions to what they dream.

However, what I'm concerned about is how long the effect will last. Once they face the fact that getting English skills is a long way to go, they will be losing motivation faster than those who don't take the seminar. I've seen some people who reacted like that.

In my opinion, you should be careful of people who expect too much of your class. They would turn from your side to the opposite side.
I think it's hard to set the specific goal of English studying but it should be set. It could be the key for the seminar to end up being successful.

•  Appoh
• 2009年12月17日 12:46

Hi Tomo.
Thank you for your help.
Unfortunately. I am not in the pocket-bell(pager) generation. So I am likely to hesitate to use face marks.(^.^)/~~~（*^_^*）（＾ｕ＾）

•  Appoh
• 2009年12月17日 12:54

Hi Tomo

I'm very happy to read your comment.I have no confidence about my English,but I have a little confidence thanks to you now!
By the way,thank you for letting me know about rejecting comments.Yesterday was the first time that my comment was rejected. I don't know why.（顔文字の紹介がされているHPのアドレスを載せたから拒否されたのかな？と思ったりしていました。）
Anyway I'm sorry that my comment has vanished..

Nao

•  Nao
• 2009年12月17日 13:26

It's me again.

Sorry,I correct my comment as below.

誤：I don't know why.
正：I didn't know why at that time.

This is a big mistake.

Nao

•  匿名
• 2009年12月17日 13:30

Hi Tomo,
Thank you for your help.
All of them are not familiar with me, so it will take a lot of time to use them :-(

Hi Kazu,
"I sometimes can make a sentence without thinking but sometimes I can't make any sentence."
→I agree with you. We need to be patient with improving English,right. I don't think you are in the bottom as Tomo said.

*訂正；（Dec.16th)
you can’t expect improve English →you can’t expect to improve English

Hi everyone,
I'm afraid I caught a cold. I don't have enough energy to read your comments and write something in English any more. I'm going to Shikoku from this Saturday again, so I need to take a rest for a trip. See you next week and have a great weekend.

Anne

•  Anne
• 2009年12月17日 14:23

Hi Anne

Take care!I hope that you'll become a good condition,and have a good weekend in Shikoku.

Hi Kazu

As other members said,I don't think your English is the bottom.I learn a new word or phrase by reading your comment.I think your English will get better and better unless you are satisfied with your English,so you are a good learner.

Nao

•  Nao
• 2009年12月17日 15:34

Hi Anne,

I really hope your quick recover. You get better and have a nice trip.

Hi Kazu,

That part in David’s interview was impressive for me too. Yeah, both the way of learning and teaching languages should be like circle or spiral(らせんのように).

Hi Tomo, Nao and Maki,

Thank you for explaining about :) ;) :-) :( :p :-D :-O. I had guessed somewhat I need to lean my head to the left:p, however I’ve never tried before. Tomo, I sometimes see lol or ^^ in your comment, both are smiling? English symbols are simpler than Japanese ones and quite nice. I’d like to give it a go occasionally.;-) Appoh and Anne, thank you for asking them.:-D

•  tsuneko
• 2009年12月17日 15:57

Hi David,
I have never taken one-day English seminars, so I'm not sure if it would be useful for English learner, but I'm interested in it.

Hi everyone,
I'm very busy these days, so I can hardly write here. I have a very tight schedule until 29th, I have work, rehearsals of concerts I'm going to have next year, X'mas party, and year-end party, so I worry whether I can have a time to write "年賀状" and do "大掃除"....

Hi Anne,
Are you OK? I hope you feel better soon.

Hi trmr and Haruki
Welcome to this blog! Nice to meet you!

Hi Kazu,
You think you are in the bottom of bending rail? I don't think so! If your are in it, I will be out of the rail!

Amica

•  Amica
• 2009年12月17日 16:04

Hi David,

Looking back now at my own first comment above, I realize that it was totally pointless with regard to your question about the situation of one-day English seminars in Japan. That's stupid of me.

One-day English seminars are a very popular thing in Japan, and there are various types of one-day English seminars that are designed to focus on a particular topic, such as English business letter/e-mail, TOEFL, TOEIC, pronunciation, listening, grammar, translation from English into Japanese (or vise versa), and so on so forth. Depending on a seminar, the fee ranges from free to 50,000 yen or sometimes more.

As for me, I have never been to any kind of one-day English seminar, partly because the topics didn't interest me enough, and partly because I felt it more effective to study by myself than to attend a seminar and listen to what the instructor had to say.

But I think it all hinges on what sort of people a seminar zeroes in on. For instance, a seminar focusing on TOEIC would be very helpful for those who are studying toward TOEIC. In another instance, an English seminar on how to write an English business letter and/or e-mail would be meaningfully informative for business people who work word wide.

Personally, I think your idea of holding an English seminar focusing mainly on teaching people how to study is more than intriguing. English conversation classes in general are not inexpensive in Japan, and that kind of class is not as worth the fee in terms of the effectiveness in improving one's English skills as it is publicly expected to be, if I say so... Thanks to the technological advancements, we now have the Internet and can communicate with people from around the world online. So why not take this advantage? And truly speaking, when I am being stuck with English what I need most is a tip of advice or idea on how to study.

Haruki

•  Haruki
• 2009年12月17日 16:16

Oh, I almost forgot to thank Appoh, Anne, tsunekko, Kazu, and Amica for the kind words. I'm really glad to meet all of you :-)

Haruki

•  Haruki
• 2009年12月17日 16:19

Hello everyone.
Nice to see you!
I'm tao(Femaleです).

I like this blog(and books written by david).
I just read it, but I can write easy English so I try to post comment:) ←I also often use this mark.

I didn't hear the"one-day seminars" before.
If this price is 1000yen(However we don't have to pay 入会金), I'd like to take the seminar!(Is it too low price?)

間違えながら英語を学んでいきたいと思っているので、気が向いた時にでも「こういう言い方あるよ！」等教えていただけるとありがたいです;)

tao

•  tao
• 2009年12月17日 16:56

After I posted a comment,I read Haruki's one.

>One-day English seminars are a very popular thing in Japan.

そうなのですね、very popularなのですね・・・お恥ずかしい（笑）
勉強になりました！

tao

•  tao
• 2009年12月17日 17:09

Hi Haruki tao and trmr、

I'm sorry to late for greeting to you all.
Nice to have you all with us.
Let's learn English with fun.

Hi Tomo, Anne, Nao, tsuneko, and Amica,
Thank you for kind words to me.
You made me confidence to learn English.
Thank you very much.
I shouldn't have had an expectation to drastic change.
As Anne mentioned, learning English has to be patient.
I will have participating to this blog for one year next month.
I'll keep up with this blog as much as I can.

みなさんよろしくお願いします。

Kazu

•  Kazu
• 2009年12月17日 19:51

Hey, David.

First post. I read your interview with EJ at library
the other day and dropped by to see what your blog is like. I had heard your name and the title of your
book before I happened to read the interview in the magazine.

I'd say you should stick to your associate prof job.
Becoming freelance means you give up stable income. If you can get back on track as an associate prof whenever you want, then it's worth being adventurous and self-employed, though.

Regarding one day English seminar, I think there're bunch but suspect that you could end up struggling
to make ends meet just by giving seminars alone.

Just my two cents in. Keep up the god work.

•  匿名
• 2009年12月17日 20:35

Corrections,

I will have participating to this blog for one year next month.
↓
I will have been participating to this blog for one year next month.

•  Kazu
• 2009年12月17日 20:50

Hi tao,
Is this your first comment? I thought I have seen your name before, but maybe it was another 'tao'. Anyway, welcome to the blog! Let's enjoy;-)

Hi Anne,
I hope you feel better soon, and have a nice and safe trip. Take care!

Hi Tsuneko,
'lol' (LOL) means 'laughing out loud', so I think it's similar to （笑）. ＾＾ is one of the Japanese smiley faces I sometimes use on this blog. If you type ‘かお’ on your computer, you'll see a lot of face marks. I think they are useful when you want to give the reader more information about your feelings;-)

Hi Amica,
I have to write New Year's cards, too! I haven't bought cards yet, though... Anyway, good luck with your concert and have fun at the parties!

Hi Kazu,
I'm always looking forward to reading your comments:)

See you all tomorrow,

Tomo

PS I'm posting this from my cell phone again. It seems like アクセス不可 often happens to me at night. Ahh...

•  Tomo
• 2009年12月17日 21:38

Hi Haruki and tao

I am also new comer.
Let's learn English and have fun together!
Haruki, I had missed greeting to you, sorry.

And again, thank you all for welcome.

English face marks are tiny and cute. But I can't help leaning my head when I watch them...

•  trmr
• 2009年12月17日 23:00

Hi Appoh

However, we hardly see any books about studying a second language in the US.→really?
I saw a lot of foreign languages text books at a bookstore when I visited my youngest sister in the US. Actually, I bought a Russian text book (I have not started studying with it yet). So I believe there are some people who want to learn other languages in the US.

Hi tsuneko

It is ok. Because when I read your comment, somehow I understood what you really meant. Maybe I just took your words twisted in a good way for me. (I bet this sentence is wrong, but I am trying to say「自分の都合のいいように（あなたの言葉を）理解した」Does anyone help me, how would you say?)

Hi Nao

I suppose that you just copied David’s words “any one-day English seminars” and used in your sentence, so you may know “usage of ANY/SAME”. In case you did not (if you already knew just skip my comment), in general you use SAME in positive sentences and ANY in negative sentences. In question usually use ANY not SAME. But if you expect the answer "yes" you can use SAME. Your sentence was positive so it should be used SAME instead ANY.

Hi tao

Welcome the blog. As Tomo mentioned your name is familiar.
Look forward your next comment.

Hi Anne

I hope you will get well soon, so you will go to “Ohenro” this weekend.

Take care

•  amo
• 2009年12月18日 00:27

Hi Tomo,

I typed かお and got surprised there are so many faces. Thank you! (^^)

Hi Tao and someone-with-no-name(sounds as if you are David’s colleague),

Nice to meet you! よろしくおねがいします。

Hi Amica and Tomo,

我が家の年賀状係(父)は新型インフルエンザになったばかりなので、ずいぶん悩んでましたが、はがきで菌を全国に撒き散らさないように(笑）年内は遠慮して、新年いただいた方にお返事するらしいです。lol

Hi amo,

分かってくれてると思いました(笑)。I guessed favorably you already got I had meant it.

See you soon.

tsunekko(I like this new version)

•  tsunekko
• 2009年12月18日 08:43

Hi amo,

I'm afraid to say that you made a mistake in your last comment.

I suppose you'd like to say the defference of the usage of ANY/SOME, not the usage of ANY/SAME, right?

See ya,

•  Gussan
• 2009年12月18日 12:27

Hi amo

Thank you for your correction.I didn't notice my mistake.
It isn't easy for me to choice any or some.肯定文でもanyを使ったり疑問文でもsomeを使ったりするのがいまいち理解できていないんです；
Thanks to you,I learned about some or any.

Nao

•  Nao
• 2009年12月18日 13:21

Hi Nao,
肯定文、否定分、疑問文の形にかかわらず、「とにかくたくさん！ありとあらゆる！」のイメージの時はany,「なんとなくこれだけ」のイメージの時はsomeを使っております。違うかな？

Hi amo,
You saw a lot of second language textbooks in the US ? Where? What city ? I only see Rosetta stone DVD ads on TV.

•  Appoh
• 2009年12月18日 13:41

Hi　Tao

Welcome to this blog.I'm looking forward to seeing you again:)

Nao

•  Nao
• 2009年12月18日 14:21

blwyddyn newydd dda to all who are on davids blog from wales - that is happy new year in welsh

hope ypou are well and enjoying snow

Delyth ( davids mum)

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