Discipline

Saturday, February tenth, two thousand and seven

Since my brother and I had to work today in spite of Saturday, I had my eldest son help us in our factory this morning. Now that he's twelve years old, he is much more powerful than he was. Thanks to him, we was able to increase the production efficiency today. His help is kind of discipline and study, actually. He can learn the importance of working to live, and can do exercise as well. He also has another job at home, which is washing up the bathroom everyday. I personally think all parents should make their children have such routine works. I bet the works help them develop their future. From my point of view, all most all Japanese children must have much more discipline. So my children must be so happy, because my wife and I often make them work at home. :)

Anyway, my eldest son worked so hard and did a good job. No words can express my thanks, Yuuji(my eldest son's name)! 何とお礼を言ってよいかわからない。

Thanks! Machinery !

Friday, February ninth, two thousand and seven

Today my machinery was working so well, so I was able to have lots of alcohol after work tonight thanks to them, actually. But, I think the production line need to take some days off as well as us. These days I've been feeling sorry to the manufacturing line, because we have made them work so hard due to the recent busy job. So I can't help but feel so sorry to them even if they are just machines. Now that I'm a factory worker, the production line is sort of one of my co-workers. So the line must be one of my best friends. Ah... I'm drunk right now, I cannot write English sentences any more. :)

Doing Me In

Thursday, February eighth, two thousand and seven

Today the production line in my factory luckily worked sooooo well! Thanks, my machinery! But the orders from my customers are really killing me! Speaking of "killing me", I guess it's the some meaning to say "They are doing me in!" when they bother me so much, according to my dictionary. Stop nagging me to manufacture tons of products, all of my customers!

Holy cow! Today's diary might me the shortest one in my life. :(


do someone in:(人)をへとへとにさせる、完全に疲れさせる
[ = wear someone out? ]
nag someone: (人)に口うるさく言う、小言を言う、～を絶えず悩ます

Wash My Hands

Wednesday, February seventh, two thousand and seven

I saw an interesting English idiom, "wash one's hands of something", in an email newsletter that I received on my cell phone, when the production line in my factory was working well. The idiom sounds similar to a Japanese idiom "足を洗う(ashi wo arau)" - means "wash one's legs of something".

In Japan, people say like this - "I've just washed my legs of gambling", when the people have quit gambling. Especially, when Japanese Mafia's members(やくざ yakuza) quit their jobs to be serious men, they say "I've just washed my legs, so I'll never do criminal things."
Don't you think those similar idioms are interesting? Even though western people and eastern people were born in the different areas, I strongly think the feelings are very common.

Today, I had to work 14 hours due the malfunction of our machinery, but I couldn't help but wash hands because of lots of oil spots. Besides, I cannot help but write my diary even though I'm exhausted, because that kind of interesting idioms have me activate. Since I'm drunk now, there are tons of mistakes in this English diary, I bet. :)

Anyway, I've been really worried how long the malfunction lasts(continues).... (ToT)


wash one's hands of something: ～と手を切る、～から足を洗う

What does Spam mean?

Tuesday, February sixth, two thousand and seven

I often get a lot of "spam comments" on this blog space these days. They write down just "Nice Site!" or something like that, and leave some links to other web sites on my blog - such as adult web sites. That's sort of a proof that my blog has become more famous than it was. :)

Talking of "spam", the word originally means a trademark of cheap canned meat made mainly from poke. But these days, you know, the word tend to be used to mean annoying advertisements on the Internet - such as "spam emails", "spam comments", and "spam trackbacks". Do you know why the word "spam" is used for the way? I know why, actually.

At one time in the UK, BBC broadcasted an comedy TV program, which is called "Monty Python's Flying Circus". In one scene of the comedy TV program, when a married couple went into a restaurant, they heard another customer was shouting out "Spam! Spam! Spam!" over and over again. So they couldn't help but order some dishes with "Spam meat", although it's few and far between for them to have "Spam meat". That sounds like a subliminal effect, doesn't it? :)　So, the customer's shouting was kind of an attack to make them wants to try "Spam dishes", even though they don't want to have the menu that much. That's why tons of annoying emails are called "spam emails" as far as I researched.

Hope you understand what I mean...

Anyway, I came up with the idea of this article thanks to a nice lady and a number of spam comments. I appreciate you giving me this idea, Ms. M.


at one time: かつて
over and over again: 何度も
few and far between: めったにない、とても稀な (=rare?)
subliminal effect: サブリミナル効果

Lost Weight

Monday, February fifth, two thousand and seven

My weight was 72 kilograms at the beginning of last month due to having too much food and alcohol during New Year's holidays. I weighed myself after a long time last Saturday. My weight was 67 kilo!!! Amazing! I've lost weight 5 kilograms a month! I might be so lucky to have the recent busy work! Actually, I tend to lose weight in winter, my busy season. I think I'll lose weight 5 more kilograms till the end of this March. After that, I won't be as busy, and "the beer season - summer" is coming soon, so I cannot help but gain weight due to a huge amount of too delicious beer. Those are sort of my annual events. :)


weigh oneself: 体重を量る
(cf.)
weigh: (人・物の)重さを量る
measure: (寸法・大きさ・量などを)測る

annual event: 年中行事

Fun Review

Sunday, February fourth, two thousand and seven

Although I just became a level-3 student after the test I took yesterday, I have reviewed the lessons I took when I was a level-5 student, actually. Needless to say, I'm going to review all of the lessons I took when I was a level-4 student as well. It's occasionally kind of stressful for everyone to brush up on their studies at home. In my case, it's, of course, sometimes stressful, but on the other hand, the review of old lessons reminds me of nice memories. I mean, I can remember the nice teachers' faces, voices, and lectures whenever I brush up on their lessons. In fact, I sometimes review the lessons with smiling because of their nice memories. I wish I could have a reunion with all teachers someday...

Today I have a touch of cold still, but I have to prepare for the Doll's Festival by my wife's order. Any order from her is killing me!!! ...Just kidding.:)



remind someone of something: (人)に(何か)を思い出させる
a touch of: 軽い症状の～、少量の～、わずかの～
(have a touch of cold: 風邪気味である)

Pass Test and Setsubun

Saturday, February third, two thousand and seven

I took the level-up test this morning at the English school's branch I belong to. I could pass the test somehow, so I just became a level-3 student at the school. But the teacher who tested my skills told me I have to do my best on increasing my vocabulary and improving the fluency. Since I know my weak points, I'm so lucky to hear the comment that describes exactly what I should do from now on.
Anyway, it looked so far for me to become such a high level student when I entered the school. Because I started as a level-7B student, a primary student, I couldn't imagine that I'm able to be a level-3 student at that time. Anyway, I bet I'll feel like a fish out of water when I take a high-level English lesson next week or the week after next.

To change the subject, it's Setsubun today in Japan. If you want to know what day Setsubun is, I recommend you to take a look at the web page I posted last year.(http://plow7010.blogspot.com/2006/02/setsubun-idiom.html) Of course, there are some(a large number of ?) mistakes in English, though... :) When I was a part time sushi chef, I had to make at least a hundred sushi rolls an hour! That's one of my bad memories...


feel like a fish out of water: 場違いに感じる

Haven't Done For Long Time

Friday, February second, two thousand and seven

I made out some bills to send our customers yesterday. Since I raised the prices of our products, the total amount of the bills is much higher than that of this time of last year. I've just made a huge amount of money! But, on the other hand, my hands are really dirty and rough due to the recent busy work. However, I'm proud of these dirty hands because those are kind of a proof that I'm a really hard worker for my family and customers.
As a matter of fact, I've been suffering from having a backache lately due to the hard work and my old age, so I couldn't do anything even if some nice young ladies were beside me. In fact, I haven't done with anyone this year. When I was young, I would do that at least twice a week with my ex-girlfriends or by myself. :) Sorry to write such a dirty topic. m(_ _)m


make out a bill: 請求書を作る

Machines

Thursday, February first, two thousand and seven

Japanese Health Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa came under criticism for calling women "birth-giving machines" in a speech last Saturday. Many lawmakers urge him to resign, but he don't have the will to do that, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced that he intends not to call for the minister's resignation.
Let me make a sentence for them.

Politicians are the "money-wasting and time-wasting machines".
『政治家は、時間とお金を浪費する機械です』