spare time

September 29th, 2005

It's cool weather these days. So I can sleep well everyday.

In summer season, my sleep time was exactly too little. But now, I want to sleep more...
I don't have enough spare time in the result. The time to access the Internet, too.

On the other hand, that's good for my health. I thought that I should change my life style and cut out unimportant things I have done once.

I'm going to sort out the things to do myself when I get home today.

Come again ? You said, "You have to cut down your evening drink time." ????
ha-ha. You're right ! I agree with you.
But it's my the most important time. :-p

"curry and rice" and my weight

September 26th, 2005

"Curry and rice" is one of the most popular foods in Japan.

Most Japanese like it. Of course me too.
We had it last night as dinner, which was cooked by my wife.
She always cook it in plenty to have the leftovers in the next day.
It is said that "curry" improves taste after letting stand for a night.
I think so, too.

Therefore, I had curry and rice for my breakfast. It tasted pretty good ! :D
Is it strange to have curry and rice as breakfast ?
But I'm a factory worker, so I have to have a large breakfast to work hard !
I was able to work hard thanks to having the great meal today. (^o^;

After I came home, I took my weight after a long time....
Wow ! Oh, My God !!!!!!
I gained 4 kilograms !!! My weight was 63 kilograms on this June.
I guess I have had too much beer this summer. I'll bet ! (ToT)

Which should I say ?

September 25th, 2005

I have been confused...

My eldest son is a 12-years-old elementary school student.
I have said "He is sixth-grade elementary school student." before.
But one of my English teachers said to me...

You should say "My son is a grade sixth student".
When I(the teacher) hear the word "sixth grade", I imagine low level school student.

After that, I checked my dictionary...
I saw the word "sixth-grade" as a correct language for my eldest son.
Also I saw the word "sixth grader" in my dictionary.


Which should I say "sixth-grade student" , "grade sixth student" or "sixth grader" ????
I've been confused....(@_@)

Of course I'm not a native English speaker and not looked like so.
I guess most native English speakers would be able to imagine what I want to say if I said such wrong words.
That's a small thing, isn't it ? :D

Higan(equinox)

September 24th, 2005

September 23rd(yesterday) was a national holiday, Shubun no hi, in Japan.
It was the day when nighttime and daytime are almost equally long. Around March 21st(Shunbun no hi) too.

We call the day "HIGAN" in Japan, which means "the next world for Buddhists".
Buddhists believe that the spirits of the dead cross the river which exists between this world and the other world, on the day of equinox the sun rise from the exact east and sets in the exact west.
That brings many Japanese people to their family graves and they offer prayers, flowers and incense for their ancestors.

On the other hand, there is a Japanese common saying on HIGAN.

"Summer heat or winter cold doesn't last after the HIGAN(equinox)."

Yes ! HIGAN brings fall and spring to us. :-)

PE(physical education) festival

September 23rd, 2005

I went to the elementary school my children attend today. There was the PE festival at the school.

It's too hot to hold the festival today. I got a suntan...(a - necessary ?)

All students had so much energy and gave a lot of good performances ! That's a heartwarming scene, isn't it ?
I was given so much vitality by them. Looking on such good performances of children is exactly good for everyone in my opinion.
They make me feel bright future whenever I look on their energetic plays.

My children took part in footraces, throwing balls into baskets, and more.
Also, I took part in a three-legged race and my wife in a tug of war. :D

In almost all Japanese elementary schools, we have box lunch together when PE festivals.

By the way, my eldest son is going to participate in the qualifying 31-legged race by elementary school students live in Osaka prefecture next weekend.

I'm looking forward to seeing it !

Did Windows exist 20 years ago ?

September 22nd, 2005

I wonder whether Windows existed 20 years ago when I saw the following article.

Gates on Google: What, me worry? (CNET)

Gates' mantra hasn't changed much in 20 years: The PC is the center of the computing universe, and Windows, along with Office and other products, represents the best platform for new software development.

What ? WAIT !!! That's funny !

If I remember correctly, 20 years ago....

• MS-DOS was competing against CP/M-86.
• IBM released PC/AT.
• NEC's PC-9801 was going mainstream of PC market in Japan.
  

Mr.Gates COULDN'T say that exactly on such a time ! :-p
Because..

• Windows didn't exist 20 years ago.
• The newest Intel's CPU was 80186 20 years ago.
• Nobody could develop OS/2 or Windows on the CPU.
  

Sorry to post the stupid article like this. :-)

What brings you ... ?

September 21st, 2005

When you met a foreigner in Japan and ask him or her why you are here, how do you say ?

"Why are you in Japan ?"
"Why do you stay in Japan ?"
"Why did you come to Japan ?"
"Why did you decide to come to Japan ?"

There are so many patterns of this question.

I've been taught a nice phrase by a native English speaker before.

"What brings you to Japan ?"

That sounds cool for me ! And I thought the phrase is very useful on so many scenes.

For example:

What brings you here ? ( when met friends at unusual places )
What brings you to this company ? ( when ask a new employee )
What brings you to this jail ?
( What a terrible situation ! Just joking. Sorry. :-p )

Why Lizard is Lizard ?

September 20th, 2005

I've just studied the English word "Lizard".
It means one of reptile, you know.
It sounds similar to "Wizard".

I've known the meaning of "Wizard"... It means a kind of "Magician".

I thought lizards look like wizards. Because they can reproduce their lost tails.
That's a really great magic !

I don't know why lizards are named lizards actually. But I guess the ancient people named them lizards after looking like wizard.

Do you have any idea ?

I'm tagged meme

September 20th, 2005

I'm tagged the stuff called "meme" by RU a few days ago.
I think "meme" is similar to "baton" on Japanese blogs and
"tagging" means giving somebody the baton.

Let me start.


Songs I'm Fully Digging Right Now

I'm into old British Heavy Metal / Hard Rock.

1. Prowler/ IRON MAIDEN - The song is the origin of my handle name.
2. Wickerman / IRON MAIDEN
3. Child in time / DEEP PURPLE
4. Stargazer /RAINBOW
5. Sacred heart / DIO
6. Painkiller / JUDAS PRIEST
7. Red sky / Micheal Schenker


7 Answers to 7 Questions

7 things I plan to do before I die:

1. borrow huge money under a false name
2. have a lot of sushi and steaks
3. buy a Ferrari
4. try to have some girlfriends :-p
5. go abroad ( everywhere I want to go )
6. hide the rest of the money
7. tell my children where the money is


7 things I can do:

1. make sushi
2. wake up early morning
3. work at the scorching factory
4. type well (touch typing)
5. drive forklift very well
6. built web sites written in HTML
7. speak Japanese fluently hehe...

7 things I cannot do:

1. sleep enough every night ( I alway sleep for around 5 hours. )
2. work as a computer system engineer any more
3. quit to drink alcohol
4. do housework
5. take days off on weekdays
6. run fast
7. speak English fluently

7 things that attract me to another person:

1. good job
2. challenge spilits
3. soulful songs
4. excellent web sites
5. knowledge
6. kindness
7. positive thinking

7 things that I say most often:

1. Aa, Shindo. (I'm tired.)
2. Nemi-. (I'm sleepy.)
3. Harahetta. (I'm hungry.)
4. Sya-naina. (What's done is done.)
5. Honmakaina ? (Is that true ?)
6. Eekangennise- ! (Have done !)
7. Maido ! ( Hi ! )

7 celebrity crushes:

1. Ronnie James Dio
2. Steve Harris
3. Sayuri Ishikawa
4. Mayumi Ono
5. Akiko Yada
6. Waka Inoue
7. Youku Hata

7 bloggers I'm tagging:

I have no idea whom I should tag... Sorry.
If you like, post your meme on your blog freely.

Tsukimi - a Japanese custom

September 19th, 2005

Yesterday was "Tsukimi-day" in Japan.
"Tsuki" means "the moon" and "mi" means "viewing".
I have heard that the custom was originally introduced from China.

Tsukimi is one of famous Japanese customs. The custom of viewing the moon is held on August 15th on the lunar calendar.
The view of the moon on that day is exactly beautiful.

In olden days, Most of Japanese actually love to view the beautiful full moon.
This time of year is a busy harvest season, so the light of the full moon was helpful for the farmers who had to work late. And they prayed for a good harvest to the moon.
"Full moon" is called "Harvest moon" on the other hand, right ?

Today, many Japanese enjoy viewing the beautiful full moon and offer it dumplings and Japanese silver grass.