Conquer The Trauma

 To a greater or lesser extent, all of us have our own trauma or bad memories, being bullied, failing something or mishap etc. Although you want to forget them and it is said human beings are a kind of species who can bury such negative recollections in the bottom of our heart, sometimes they follow us and always try to suffocate us. How can we overcome them? There might be some solutions for this question and the short cut must be to go to a hospital,  but one of them is trying  to be the person you want to be. Why?


First of all, traumas means the past. When the negative pursuers are about to entwine us, if we are in the procedure of changing ourselves, we can stop them by saying "I am working on and going forward from the past. I am no longer what I used to be even though the difference is slight." Recognition of difference or evolution that you are making and have made are the powerful factors that can cut off your past. Imagine a train. You are on a train and already departed from the "past" station. The more the train goes ahead, the further you are from it, in short, the more you have changed, the more you can feel that you have abandoned it. Once we get on the train, our destination is "self-confident" station. If we feel that we are new one after the trip, in a word, we have confidence, we will try something new and don't need to think back on the trauma then we can forget our disaster.


However, how can we change ourselves? There are a lot of ways to do for it. Making our appearance good with losing weight or something, learning fruitful things, getting a lot of money through harder work and trying whatever you have never experienced. Mine was changing my looks. I had a lot of negative memories that I was bullied about my face, but by altering myself, I got incurious about the memory and finally, I was able to laugh it off. Therefore, I truly know that it is very tough to conquer trauma but we should try it and I think everyone can do it.

To Get My Beauty Back

For the past 2 years, I have gained weight of almost 7kg. Really awful. Today I swore I would lose my weight, within 3 months.


Originally I'm very a competitive and aggressive person, so I can't stand my life without any target. 2 years ago I was truly into marathon, because it made me feel my sense of accomplishment. Needless to say, in a race of marathon, we must fight with not only other competitors but also ourselves. I liked it. I liked overwhelming both others and myself.


However, nowadays my goal is to master English. My eagerness for English, in short, the time of sitting on my desk to study absolutely made my life sedentary. In addition to this, now I need for regular hormone injections, which make people fat. These are the causes that I became chubby.


Now my face has become so round. My used-to-be thin thighs turned to be bigger.  Beauty is crucial for a woman. Where has my beauty gone? I hate not only my ugly outlook but also my weak mind which can't maintain even myself. At any rate, I must reduce my weight, soon. I will be strong‐willed.

I Am Ichihashi---An Abominable Cinema

Needless to say, when a horrible crime happens, the victim's family is dreadfully damaged. They have to suffer from the deep grief of losing their dear person for the rest of lives. Last month, I was really astonished by an article, which informed its readers a director was going to turn a devastating crime into a film.


On 26th March 2007, a body was found in the room of an apartment. The victim was an English young girl, Lindsay Ann Hawker, who had come to Japan as an English teacher. After 2-year escape, the culprit, whose name is Tatsuya Ichihashi was nailed. For this 2 years, he moved from place to place to elude police with his face changed.


The stupid director, who is also leading actor of this movie, has set about it amid a lot of criticism. The main content of it is how the perpetrator concealed himself from public. I think he is just mad. What value is there in making such a movie? It will just end up in offending the victim's family. The content might be interesting to some people, but shouldn't we consider the family's feelings more than that? Anyway, undoubtedly this is nothing but a shame to Japan.

30 Days Challenge

What are you waiting for? I guarantee you the next 30 days are going to pass whether you like it or not, so why not think about something you have always wanted to try and give it a shot for the next 30 days.---Matt Cutts

Matt Cutts, who is a supervisor of  Google spam section is suggesting a simple but effective way to change our life---trying small things that we always want to add to our life for 30 consecutive days. Then these new things will become our habits. He explained, these 30 days are good term to attach a new habit to you or subtract one from your life. 

Accordingly, I thought about it. What kind of habit do I want to add to my daily life? There are a lot nominees like jogging, yoga, and reading newspaper, but in my case, the habit that I must get the most is a household chore----housekeeping.

I am really terrible at housekeeping. It has been that way since I was a little child. The reason my house can keep its tidiness is thanks to my husband.  He always cleans up our house for lack of an alternative because I am lazy. He doesn't complain about it so often, but sometimes he scolds me as if he were my mum. (Actually, his nickname at home is "mommie", although he doesn't seem to like this.) 

I must obtain the habit to tidy my house up, but how? Matt Cutts advised the new thing should be tiny, because it's a ton of fun but also difficult to stick to big challenges. Hence my wrap up is that every day, I put my clothes back to proper place at least which I just take off.  

FAMILY TREE

My Strange Phobia

In the world, there are many kinds of phobia like acrophobia or claustrophobia, but I wonder whether there are such people who suffer from the same one as mine. I don't know the name, but if I dare to name it, my phobia is collapse-phobia.


I don't know why, but at higher floors than 2nd floor in apartments or buildings, if I make a noise for example, by walking roughly or bringing big furniture into my house, I start to worry that the floor might collapse because of the impact or shock made by these. It sounds very weird to other people, but I'm truly serious. Hence I can't stay for a long time at such boisterous places with people, like shopping centers or sports gyms except when they are located on the 1st floor.


This does not mean that I dislike staying at high place. If anything, I like it, because I can see beautiful scenery and  it's kind of thrilling! Therefore my fear is not for high places, but for the acts or din people make at that place. 


On account of this funny phobia, there are a lot of  harmful influence. I can't live in apartments so now I inhabit in a two-storey house. Even though we are in my house, if my husband ever walk in the 2nd floor roughly, I always get angry, but it is okay in the case of the 1st floor. I can't attend sports gyms that are in more than 2nd floor, because there, a good many people are exercising  and dancing. 


I have no idea why I am suffering from this strange phobia. Almost all people laugh when I tell them about it. Anyway, I hope this mental condition will fade down the road.

【Intoroduction Of English Online School】English On The Go

Nowadays I attend 2 English online schools at the same time. Today I want to share something about one of them. The school's name is "English on the Go". 

Above all, its biggest advantage is its superior teachers. They can speak American English very well, because some of them are native English speakers(having blood relationships with westerners), and the rest have experienced studying abroad. Furthermore, they can truly teach. Needless to say,  the ability to speak English well and one to teach it are different. Teaching needs for some techniques and skills, this is why not all English speakers can teach students well. I think finding such skilled teachers is really difficult, so this school must make a big effort in doing so. Moreover, this school doesn't only hire such capable teachers but also trains them well and imposes them with some English examinations, like TOEIC or IELTS, every year to maintain their abilities. Perhaps there are only few schools that keep on improving their teachers. 

Its next good trait is its price. Contrary to its high quality, its lesson fee is not expensive, rather reasonable. A lot of schools whose main teachers are native speakers have a high‐priced fee system, for example, a lesson(25mins) is equal to more than ￥1,000, this scool's charge is only  ￥250(30mins), in short, less than a fourth. 

If such a nice school has its website, that is to say, if it is exposed to numerous people, a large number of students will flood into it. This is why this school doesn't have its website, as opposed to other schools. As I mentioned above, it hires special teachers, but their number is not so many. Hence, it doesn't hope to be famous, since it is impossible to provide few good teachers for all of many students. Therefore its way of marketing is only by word of mouth.

Can Somebody Tell Me How To Manage Time Schedule?

I don't mean to brag, but I am busy as a beaver everyday. My weekdays is like below.

6:30-7:00---getting up and having breakfast

7:00-7:30---taking my dogs for a walk

7:30-8:00---English online lesson(not everyday)

8:00-18:30---work and commuting

18:30-19:00---taking my dogs for a walk

19:00-20:00---cooking dinner and eating it

20:00-21:00---taking a bath

21:00-22:00---English online lesson

22:00-24:00---Studying English by myself

*I need at least 6hours and a half sleeping time because I suffered from a kind of sickness and originally I am a long sleeper.
*I often have to head for a hospital straight after my work,  in that case, I have my dinner, a loaf of bread, on the way there.

I am busy, ain't I? I think a hectic life means a substantial one so it's okay, but if I keep on doing this, I can't take the bonding time with my dogs and my hubby. However, I want to secure enough sleeping time and actually, I have a lot of things I want to do such as, studying English more or jogging or cleaning my room!


How can I cope with that? I wish I was a student, who has a lot of time!

Teachers Should Use Their Ingenuity In Teaching Way

It has been almost 4 months since I started teaching English to kids. Although I don't have any confidence in my teaching style, but I have one solid policy.
I never limit my lesson based on the text.


When it comes to just reading text, we can study it by ourselves. Just following the contents  of text means students can acquire only what is written on those. Needless to say, students want to enlarge their knowledge as much as they can. Then teachers should make the most of the limited lesson time and impart their skills to their students as much as they can.

Way back, I have met some teachers whose teaching way was just tracing the text. In those days, I accepted such simple lessons like that was the way lessons were. However after encountering some lessons with ingenuity, I realized lessons should be like these. Then I determined I would devise my lessons.

【Complaint】How Annoying! Don't Talk So Long!

In my office there is an annoying person, who talks very long.


This elderly sales rep is capable at work. He can get a lot of contracts and he 
has been working at this company for a long ime, so he is given a back seat by our president. 
However, we ordinary employees dislike him, since he always drags his conversations on. What is worse, His story is either sermon or bragging almost every time.


In the case of a drinking party, the situation gets worse. Some alcohol makes him more talkative. He fires off talking to people around him in rapid succession , like a machine gun. To avoid becoming victims, we are always desperate in order not to sit next to or in front of him.

Why is his story so long? Why isn't he aware of that? Hasn't anyone, like his family member, warn him?  We hope someone who is older or more important than him admonishes him.
Anyway, all we can do at present is to keep away from him to avoid being his target.

My Husband Is Like An Angel

Today is me and my husband's wedding anniversary, so in commemoration of it, I want to mention something about him. Not meaning to brag, but when it comes to getting a good husband, I am sure that I am an absolutely successful woman. It might sound weird, but in a word, he is like an angel for me.

First of all, he always tries to help people without expecting anything in return. Sometimes I even feel his kindness goes too far. For example, he helps city council member’s preparation for his election. During the preparation, it requires my husband his whole weekends. This is a volunteer work, so he doesn't get paid. I think volunteer works are a kind of waste of time because they never generate any money, but he does it so for helping the member. He is always willing to give a hand to anyone who needs help.

He is kind to animals as well as to people. Every day he hugs and kisses our dogs. Even if he finds them, which we keep inside our house, wrongly urinate and defecate on our living room’s floor and mess it up, he never gets angry. If I am in his shoes, I get furious at them and might almost beat them to death. It is said that animals can detect kind people, so do our dogs. They seem to love my husband from the bottom of their hearts.

Needless to say, he always supports me both physically and mentally. When I am tired, he is delighted to do house chores instead of me. In fact, even though I am not tiered, he still does. Besides, when I am devastated, he is patient enough to listen to my all complaints or worries.  

He often strokes me until my tear stops running down. Every time I feel depressed, my husband encourages me.


The more I write about him, the more my gratitude toward him flows out. How many considerate men like him exist in the world?  Here, I mean  the word"considerate"  as "genuine kindness", not just "seeming one".　Anyway, today I swore from now on I will cherish him more than ever before.

My Current Situation Might Be A Gift

---So the next time you're faced with something that's unexpected, unwanted and uncertain, consider that it just may be a gift.---by Stacey Kramer

This video changed my way of thinking. It made my eyes shift toward another aspect.

Stacey Kramer received a present from God, which was not so big, but very incredible. She described it as a gem. She even said it totally changed her life in good way. Actually, it was a tumour, called "hemangioblastoma".

When people face terrible situations, they tend to be disappointed by thinking of bad aspects of them. So do I. Recently I have been suffering from a kind of disease whose treatment is mentally severe and unsure enough to be often compared  to a long tunnel of which no one can  see ahead. Sometimes this situation really makes me feel devastated. Once in a while, I find myself to want to sob and take it out on somebody.

She, who suffered from an absolutely fatal illness and has fortunately recuperated, didn't consider her harsh situation as an affliction. On the contrary, she took it in a positive way, because she was able to tighten the bond with her families, friends, and acquaintances, thanks to it. Why can she think like this? Is she originally very positive? 

Whether she is originally a positive person or not, it is sure that she is such a person who can see the other aspect of a thing. She might have wanted to say that if people change their point of view, something else pops up and it is up to us whether we take the bad situation as bad or else. Yes, I should do that. This long distance to recuperation must be a present from the sky--- a meaningful present for me, who is really impatient.

Some Fabulous Online English Teachers

Every day I take Filipino's online English lessons at least 5 times a day. Before I described stupid online teachers, but there are many splendid teachers. Let me share 2 of them.

One is very good with American accent and sometimes I feel she can be beyond Americans. Her English is a kind of art. Every time I meet her in our lesson, I can't help but be entranced with her spoken English. What is better, her knowledge about English and its background are colossal. She is the woman that I want to be down the road.

The other is also fantastic. Needless to say she is good at English and besides that, she is very patient with me. While I'm speaking English in lessons, because I can't do that fast, many teachers try to cut me off and take over what I'm trying to say. I really hate it since I think, it might depend on the student, teacher shouldn't interrupt their students until they give up making their own sentences up. That is to say, in English conversation lessons, teachers should make their students speak as much as possible. Being different from such ordinary teachers, she always wait until I finish my construction of sentences so I can think calmly.

Of course besides above, there are a lot of nice teachers. I am a happy camper indeed to be able to meet them. Actually one of my dreams is to go to their country to meet them, not through the monitor, but in person.

My First Bike

---Generally people can get their first bikes easily and very early in their lives, then they just have good memories about it. However, my case was different. My memory about it was a bit pitiful one.---


"Even though you are already so big, why are you still riding a bike with training wheels? It is weird!" When I was riding my first bike in a park, a kid who I didn't know approached me and told me this. At that time I was already 6 or 7 years old but I had just gotten it. Hence it was helpless that I couldn't ride it without training wheels. 


In Japan, we normally get our first bike when we are around 4 years old.  However my house was a little bit poor, so my parents couldn't afford it for me like other children. Actually the bike was my cousin's hand‐me‐down, so it was kind of dirty with many stains.  

His remark not only embarrassed me but also hurt me so much. I almost cried on the spot because I felt like my parents was insulted. His words meant I was a dimwit, but it sounded that my parents couldn't buy even a bicycle for me. Come to think of it, I should just have gotten angry at him, but I couldn't help being depressed and  feeling miserable.


The first bike is the symbol of my needy childhood. My parents didn't buy toys or gadgets as much as other parents did for their children, so I was always green with envy to them. It is one of my bitter memories.

Some Ridiculous Online English Teachers

Thanks to the emergence of online English schools, it became possible for us Japanese to study English conversation easier and more frequently than before. Actually, the school fees are very reasonable and we can study at home. It means we can save both money and time. We cannot thank these schools and their teachers enough, indeed! However, there are some problems about online schools, and one of them is their teachers. Being different from face to face schools, in online schools, we students can't know what the teachers really do besides teaching. I have experienced having classes with some stupid teachers. Let me share the cases.


During the entire lesson with the teacher, she was cutting some kind of paper with a pair of scissors. I couldn't see her scissors but I was sure that she was since I was able to clearly hear the sound of it. Then, what was worse, she didn't listen to me while I was reading the English textbook. I asked her what she was doing and she replied that she was preparing something for my lesson. Why did she need to create the sound of scissors during on online lessons? Of course it didn't make sense. At that time, I swore that I would never make a reservation in her class anymore. 


There is another case. The teacher's teaching skill was good but beside her was a barking dog all along. I didn't know why but she neither apologized nor tried to make it shut up. Naturally my lesson was ruined.


In the same way as face to face schools, teachers must concentrate on their students and they have to set up the circumstance that suit lessons well. Why do these stupid teachers like I mentioned continue to teach? I think they lack professionalism. I sure hope these teachers won't spoil the online school's valuation.　

Gross! A Plump Cockroach Turned Up

Finally, it has shown up in my house at the first time since my husband and I moved here.


Yesterday while taking care of my puppy, I caught a strange object at the corner of my eye. It was still on the ceiling. So I told him,"Yuck! A big cockroach! Over there! Come and kill it! Right away!!", and he said,"Oh, what a big one! And...very black!" He was really impressed by it and it irritated me, so I said,"An idiot! Don't describe it! Kill it! It may run away!".


The cockroach was different from the ones which I had seen so far. It was indeed fat, black and glossy. At that time I was frozen, because I hate all insects, especially cockroaches. Then, what was worse, we didn't have any insecticides. Therefore he killed it with newspaper and peace came back.


Anyway, I think cockroaches are enemies of human being. I sure hope that they will become extinct.

Don't Lick The Crappy Paws In Front Of Me!

I keep two dogs, so most people may think I'm a totally generous and affectionate person. However, it is absolutely the opposite of the truth. I'm kind of vicious.

I have been annoyed by one of my dogs' behaviors ever since we started to keep them inside my house. As you know, it's one of dog's habits to lick its body up. I can understand it in my head... but I really hate it especially the part of paws. Why they suck paws so often and persistently? Why they try to walk around in my living room with paws covered with a lot of their saliva? My house will become dirty and smelly!! 


Then, every time I catch my dogs start to do so, I hit them, sometimes strongly. Of course my husband rebukes me of my cruel act, (My husband is nothing but a chunk of affection) but I can't stand it. Maybe almost all people may suggest frequent cleaning floors and to have them outside my house. However, I already often mop my floor and having them outside is difficult, because I don't have enough space around my house and sometimes they bark loudly. It may have been wrong for me to decide to keep dogs. 


Anyway, I have to cope with that, because their annoying habit has started stressing me out. Let's ignore it. Let's try not to see them doing it. These days I keep on persuading myself like this.

I Should Have Featured A Zombie As Well, In My Wedding Album

Why didn't I hit on  this idea? I love it.
via Weird Asia News
Best Wedding Photo Ever…Or Is It?
When it comes to wedding photos, normally people try to look their best by wearing appropriate wedding costumes, making best poses at some romantic venues. It would be memorable indeed...but this article says, it's nothing but ordinary. 


A comical idea came into a Korean couple's mind, it was a wedding photo album featuring a zombie. 
"In a nostalgic green field, a banker-like man and his graceful girlfriend were in a really romantic mood, as they were enchanted to each other. Then, a disquieting shadow sneaked up to them...it was a dreadful zombie! Even though were astounded, this brave couple somehow got weapons(I think these may well be a butcher's knife and a shovel), and faced up squarely to it. After muddling through it, they appreciated each other's braveness and their achievement, then their romantic mood came back."


Really funny, awesome and absolutely memorable. I think a wedding album couldn't be more unforgettable, so it is regrettable for me not to try it. However, if I were one of the couple and chose this location, I would prefer a horrific big bear rather than a zombie, because it would suit this situation better.

I Took An Oath Of Becoming A Fabulous English Teacher

The other day, I was astonished by the notification from the school I belong to. They informed me of a thing... for me, it was a super one. They told me the mother of my student really likes me and the way I teach her English, and furthermore,  she said that at last she was able to meet the teacher who she had been seeking for. Oh my gosh! Why me? At first, I thought the mother mistook me for another good teacher, not only because I have just started to teach English, but also because unfortunately, I don't have any distinguished English qualifications. However, it was me that the mother praised very much. 


It was really amazing. As I said above, I don't have good teaching skills. Nono at all. If I had something nice about English, it would only be the strenuous effort I have been making to improve my English...and the oath that I never rip my student off. 


By nature I love money and I know well that getting it is arduous, so I absolutely hate wasting it. Conversely, I also dislike making someone, ex.my family, my friends squander their money. Hence, when I teach my student whose mother pays money to me, every time I recite that I indeed have to make her learn not to waste her(her mother's) money. Then in order to put into practice it, I try not to limit my lesson based on just a textbook and attempt to assign her some beneficial homework each time.


Anyway, her opinion made me delighted. From now on and same as before, all I have to to do is to keep doing my best according to my belief. Henceforth I will surely become a fabulous English teacher.

Let's Evaluate Your Future-Husband By A Checklist【2】

6.What are his driving manners or act during heavy traffic?
There are some nasty men who behave badly when they are irritated. Such men tend to be very violent to others including you. To get rid of these twerps, let's observe your boyfriend's conduct during heavy traffic. If he is a generous guy, he never acts ill like yelling out or taking it out on someone.


7.How often does he get in touch with his parents, especially his mother?
Especially his mother, this part is very important. For women, a mommy's boy is nothing but crap. AS you know, if some problems break out between you and his parents(especially mothers-in-law), such men never stand by you. Never seize such scums. 


8.Does he let me walk on the farther side from drive way?
Considerate men always try to keep their girlfriends on the farther side from roads in order not to expose them to danger. I think men who naturally act like this are really thoughtful, smart men. 


9.How are his parents like?
There is a maxim in Japan that says when you want to evaluate your boyfriend, watch what his parents are like. Needless to say, his parents are the very people that brought him up. I can't say it absolutely applies to all cases, but people's personalities tend to be determined by how their parents have trained them. Therefore, it's a shortcut to appraise him.


Actually, to grab a good future husband is arduous, but it is no exaggeration to say that women's happiness depends on what their husband are like. Hence, I think, we women should take a lot of time to fish them.

Let's Evaluate Your Future-Husband By A Checklist【1】

I can declare that for women, it is the most devastating disaster in their lives to clutch a bloody husband. I know some women who suffer from their nasty husbands or their foul families. Before, during the journey for seeking my future husband, I used to judge every ex-boyfriend with a checklist to avoid such disgusting situations. Let me share my very dogmatic list for evaluating men.

1.Is he kind to animals and the aged...every time?

Needless to say, women like gentle men and as everybody knows, men who are kind to animals and the aged have warm hearts. Here, I want to insist "every time". "Every time" of course means "not only in front of you". Using all your ways, for example, asking his friends or observing carefully his usual behavior, you have to penetrate his real nature.

2.Has he experienced living by himself?

Men should experience living alone, because such men who doesn't have the experience tend to be undependable. Some of them can't cook, do their laundry and even clean their rooms. It's very easy to imagine that such men are going to become big burdens for you. 

3.Is he picky about food?

Men who are choosy about food also tend to have the possibility to be burdensome. To begin with, such men must be very sensitive. Let's dump such nuisances.

4.Does he change his cell phone within 1 year?

If he is such a person, it means he tends to prefer new stuff and it implies that he may like new woman as well. It is wise to avoid these kinds of men unless you prefer playboys.

5.Is he good at driving?

It is absolutely general that men can drive better than women. Hence, such men who are poor at driving are kind of shameful. He doesn't need to have an expensive car, but he needs to have good driving sense. Husband who can't drive well are not cool.

To be continued...

Lo And Behold! His First Name Is "PIKACHU"!

Recently, children's names have been varying in Japan. Parents try to name their babies more modern, more sophisticated and more different names from others. I think it's good, because the variety of the name is also one of children's personalities. However, there are some parents who go too far.


18 years ago, there was a stupid father who tried to name his son "Akuma" that means "devil" in English. The reasons he did so were that by this name his son would attract many people and he wished his son would be a bold ambitious person. Of course the name wasn't good, because his son might been teased in school due to his name and would give almost all people a bad impression in some situations like job interviews. I don't remember well but maybe the name was refused in the court.


Then the other day, I was astounded by an article. The article said, a parent named their son "Pikachu", the most famous character in Japan, the hero of "Pocket Monster". It's really awful. When he grows up, he will write his name "Pikachu" on his resume. When he got aged, he will be called uncle or grandfather"Picachu". It's really peculiar.

I Like You, Funny Orange!

Do you know "Annoying Orange"? I haven't known him until recently. The orange, I think he would be a 10 or 11-year-old boy if he were a human being, is very annoying, but he is funny. He is very vulgar, and he likes teasing someone, so almost everyone who surrounds him is always offended by him and they get mad at him, and finally get exhausted.


I like him very much because we are in the same category. I like making fun of someone in any way and I occasionally prefer crude manners. The pitiful person who is always targeted by me is my husband. Every minute we stay together, I try to work out some schemes to stun him in bad ways. Actually, yesterday, I achieved my mission. While he was dozing on the couch after our dinner, I sneaked up on him and tore his scab on his neck. He screamed and got furious, and hit my forehead saying "Crap! You are very disgusting!" and his remark praised me. Frankly speaking, "disgusting" is the best compliment for me. At that time, I couldn't help laughing. 


Anyway, there might be a lot of opinions to him, but the orange's violent and funny behavior cheer me up. These days, sometimes I feel very down, so this hilarious comedy is really a vital medicine for me.

The Moment People Are A Bit Nettled---Train・Station Version---

This time let me tell the nasty moments which can happen in stations or trains.
1.people running or walking in reverse in spite of  signs indicating directions
2.sound leakage from iPod or Walkman
3.people who get caught at ticket barriers because of shortage of their prepaid cards.
4.Drinking alcohol in trains
5.Puke being put in stations or in trains
6.Children behaving violently in trains and the parents who never scold them
7.people reading newspapers in packed trains
8.molesters of women


Among these, the most numerous opinions are 1. and 2.
"Every time I see people who walk, what is worse, run in reverse, in addition to rush hour with a lot of people,I find myself to be interested in killing them. "(30, male, advertising company) 
"Can't they read the sign saying [keep to the right.] ? Or, are they foolish enough not to know the traffic rules?"(27, female, apparel)
Let's listen to other opinions.


"Such people who leak full volume from their ear phone tend to listen to outdated songs."(36, male, food)
"It's natural that children make a fuss, but their parents should scold them. Didn't they learn that we should not be noisy in public place?"(33, female, housewife)
"Puke in just before the last train makes me feel get craving for vomiting as well."(29, male, real estate)


You know, these vexing moments sometimes grow big trouble later on. We might have to rethink that the inside of trains and stations are public spaces.

The Moment People Are A Bit Nettled---City Version---

Today, let me share a gripping topic about irritating moments. Here, a research revealed the stuff or people that offend us in cities of Japan.

1.people smoking while walking
2.people spitting or bringing up phlegm
3.mothers making a dash with their strollers
4.cyclists running in reverse on roadways
5.bicycles without a light
6.light trucks for collection of waste materials with full volume sound
7.sound of mufflers of motor scooter
8.drivers driving very fast on narrow roads


The worst behavior that got opinions the most is "people smoking while walking". 
"I smoke too, but because there are such people who walk with smoking, the image of smokers gets worse."(28,male,real estate)
"Fire is lethal weapon."(33, female, housewife)
...and so on. Let's listen to other voices.


"These days, big foreign‐made strollers are very popular, but here is Japan. It is very annoying to rush into narrow shops with such big ones."(36,male,finance)
"What on earth do people who ride on their big motor scooters and modify them tend to?"(31,male,food)
"There are sill such people thinking it cool to hurry in a motorcar, it's really out of fashion, though."(26,female,officer)


Then, there is another view point to such irritating conducts.
"It's just simple to say that there are many people who act immorally, but it's important to control ourselves always in order not to get irritated."(27,female,SE)

Maybe, it might be significant to have tolerant hearts to avoid vexation.

Why Do Men Take Up 70% In Serious Reclusive People?【2】

While men are apt to get reclusive, women tend to suffer from eating disorders. 
In this way, although there is a difference between men and women and both ways mean "denial of  their  sex", "negation of contention for leaving their gene", indicated by some specialists.


That is to say, female denotes "the sex of bearing and raising child" and male does "the sex of  scattering". If women get into eating disorders, their menstruation or ovulation will stop, whereas in the case of men, they will give up their action of "scattering" by being reclusive from society and cutting off the contacts with female . 


By the way, female who are troubled with an eating disorder can recuperate by knowing that  it is more beneficial for them to take advantage of their sex's nature than to refuse it. On the other hand, men who are socially withdrawn can convalesce by perceiving that there are a lot of senses of values and finding the suitable one to themselves, then realizing that they are needed. 


How was it?  You understood how sensitive men are in comparison with women and that the stress due to competitive world tend to trigger shut-ins. These days, women have been getting stronger, but sometimes they should be considerate to men for fear that they may withdraw from our society.

Why Do Men Take Up 70% In Serious Reclusive People?【1】

A sociologist Masahiro Yamada said, the sex ratio between reclusive men and women is 7:3. Why do men tend to shut themselves in more than women?

Shut-ins mean the action seeking for safe places unrelated to competition. In recent years our world has been referred to "a stratified society"and people who lose severe races like getting good grades in schools or workplaces and overwhelmed by the stress finally withdraw from their society.  

Since their childhood, men have strongly felt  that they should keep on winning a lot of  contention. Furthermore, despite the popularity of  the thought  of "equal rights for both sexes", men are always expected to be strong, so they seem to be stressed out by extreme pressures.  

Moreover, the research using rats revealed that men are sensitive to stress more than women. When rats are caged in a box which doesn't have a ceiling, while female ones start to explore in it, male ones tend to crouch at a corner and stay reclusive. In short, by the difference of amount of pressures and stress tolerance, shut-ins have been becoming the phenomenon for the men. 

No Life No Challenges

No Life, No Challenges---this is my prime principle. I firmly believe that if we don't challenge at least one new thing a year, our heart will get old soon. On the other hand, if we try something new every year, we age backwards. 

This is why I try something new every year. For example, last year, I got a license for motorbikes. When you hear about this, you might think "Only getting a licence? No, kidding, it isn't a challenge, it's too easy." However, it was a big attempt for me. Originally I am so timid, and what is worse, I am a poor athlete. Hence every time before the training at the license school, I sobbed, because a motorbike was so heavier than I had expected  that I couldn't handle it well, and the more I accelerated it, the more difficult it became to control. Then why did I come up with the thought of getting the licence? It was not only because people who can ride motorcycles are cool, but also because I thought it would give me a new world that I had never experienced. With a new world, people can be excited and emotionally aroused, it means, we, especially our hearts never grow older. 

Then, my new challenge of this year is to become an English teacher. It takes a lot of effort for me, but so far, I have been managing it. I will stick it out!

Game Arcades---Now, Their Regular Customers Are Elderly People

Game Arcades are no longer amusement parks only for the young. Today, let me share an intriguing news in Japan.
via asahi.com
「ゲーセン」いまや常連はお年寄り　シニアサービス充実

Game arcades have been changing their meaning. Before they were amusement facilities only for most children and young people, but now, they have been converted into places of recreation and relaxation for elderly people. 
The reason seems, they can spend their time longer and more reasonable than in other recreational facilities. That is why recently some industries that are worrying about losing their young customers due to  decreasing number of children, have started services for the aged.
In afternoon of the middle of August, many elderly people were playing in a game arcade, "Hello Taito Kameari". "How are you?" Chieko Kofuji(76) who was sitting on a Tatami-mat installed bench spoke to Matsu Noda(86). Both of them are frequenters here and  got to know each other since they've come to this shop often. Kofuji who lost her husband 10 years ago said, "If I am alone in my house I will get senile, but here, I can forget all about the time".
The number of eldery customers has been increasing for 2 years and nowadays,  they've  accounted 80-90% of the users of the shop. 
Almost all of them spend a few hours here, having some cups of tea, having lunch, or chatting with their friends. "This shop seems to be their meeting place"said the shop manager.
This company, Taito already replaced standard benches with Tatami-installed benches for the aged in their 20 stores last January, .

I Saw You On Facebook ---- For The First Time In Ten Years

The other day, I found the name of my ex-boy friend on Facebook. It has been 10 years since we separated. He was my first boyfriend, so that time I was really into him. To tell the truth, he was a very good looking guy enough to be mistaken as a half Japanese and half Western and be scouted by a model agency. 


He was truly a good guy and at the same time, a little bit strange because he seemed to be unaware  about the fact that he was very popular among girls. Due to his sweet looking, even while I went steady with him, there were a lot of allurements from other girls. For example, his ex-girl friend asked him to come back to her or he was hunted by pretty girls at streets many times, and so on. If he had been a common guy, he would have gotten conceited and cheated on me. However, he resisted all of these temptations. He actually was not into other girls and it made me feel not only happy, but also weird.  


In contrast, at that time, I was just an ordinary girl. I was not ugly, but not pretty at all. I was chubby and not fashionable. I was good at neither sports nor wearing make up. Yet he loved me and he always very sincere to me. Hence, I hoped to marry him in the future from the bottom of my heart and I think, so did he.


As I wrote above he was very faithful to me, so the reason why we broke up was not the existence of a woman. It was his job. I don't want remember it,  since it was little miserable story, but I will. 


After he graduated from his university, he entered a company that was suspicious. It conducted unscrupulous business. To be specific, the company sold travel memberships that "seemed" to discount hotel rates in many hotels in Japan, but in reality,that you can't use them so many times you expected. In short, when you travel and you try to use the membership, almost always you are rejected because every time the hotels are fully booked. Furthermore, the membership was really expensive. One membership was more than $6000---expensive but not useful. It was definitely fraud and in actual fact, this company was infamous for swindling. Therefore, I hated the company and explained to him how evil his company was and told him to quit it time and time again. He must have been stupid a bit, though. He never listened to me, because he already started to be fascinated by the president of the company. The more I persuaded him to leave it, the more he felt offended by me. Finally, we split up after about 1 year since he had entered the company. Both of us were indeed exhausted.  


It seems like he has just opened his account on Facebook recently. It is very simple and there aren't any his pictures, so there's no way for me to know whether he is fine or not. Then it is strange, but sometimes I feel the urge to get in touch with him through Facebook. 
How have you been? 
What do you do these days? 
You already quit the malign company, didn't you?
Of course, I am not so plucky enough to do that. All I can do is just looking at his wall and wish  for his happiness.

A Fatal Birthday Present

Actually, the joke was overdone.
via Kyodo News
Couple dies after falling into pit dug for birthday prank


On the night of August 27th, a tragedy happened at a beach in Ishikawa, Japan. A married couple lost their lives because of being caught by a big trap that the wife and her friends had made.


According to the  news, as a surprise present for the husband who would turn 24 on his coming birthday, she and her friends made a big hole on the beach that took 5 hours to build. At first, their plan was intended to entrap him only. However, after she lured him to carry out the plan that night, because they headed to the snare on the beach counting on only the light from their cell phones, it seemed both of them fell into the pit by accident. 


The depth of the hole is 2.5m and the widths are 2.4m. In the midst of making it, one of the members seemed to indicate the risk, but they didn't stop. The legally-ordered autopsy revealed that their causes of death were suffocation. Both of the victims were 23 years old and new married.


Anyway, a silly thought lead to an entirely unexpected result. I feel pity for them, especially for the husband, it was good that it didn't involve other unrelated people,though.

I Lost $5,000 Due To The Bankruptcy--Gateway21 Co.,Ltd

I am one of the victims of Gateway21 Co.,Ltd's bankruptcy.


After hearing the news, I stood aghast for a while.  I couldn't understand the fact immediately. The news was about a bankruptcy of an agency that served tours for studying abroad and I booked. In short, on the day, I lost $5,000--- that I had already paid off. 
Gateway21 Files for Bankruptcy


It was 4 years ago that I reserved a tour at the agency for studying English in the United States for 3 months. I was really excited, because it would be my first time to study abroad. At that time I lived alone so it was very difficult to save a lot of money, but for my big dream, I did with much travail. After booking the tour, I paid the money by installments.


Actually I paid the last payment on 26th of September that year, and the day after that, they filed for bankruptcy.  


It took a long time to recognize the company's name as the company I had applied for. Even though I realized it, I didn't know how the incident affected me, because until that time I had never experienced such a case. However, the more the media broadcasted, the more I comprehended the fact---my money would never be back.  In Japanese law, the company that filed for bankruptcy has to pay to the banks that they owe first. It means,  consumers who lost their money are the last ones to be compensated. 


This company didn't have much money, of course it was why they failed their management.
The number of victims was more than 2300 and some customers lost more than $37,500. What was worse, many of the customers had quit their job or already submitted their resignation to their companies for their tours, like me. All the customers got furious, reviled, cried and claimed to give the money back, but it wasn't fulfilled.


This incident was so dreadful and abrupt that I couldn't cry.  They deprived not only my big money but also my dream. Since then, I haven't trusted any companies. It was what I learned from that awful experience.

【Complaint】You bastard! I Hate You Pigeons!

Who determined pigeons as a symbol of peace? They are unconditionally far from it. I really hate them because of the reasons below.


1.Smelly. It's really noisome. Of course the principal cause is their crap's odor. You know, they tend to act as a big group, so the smell is always multiplied. Yuck!


2.Odd call. Their voices are really creepy.  They cry like "coo coo" or "how how", what is worse, they do it in chorus. It's nothing but din. 

3.Loathly droppings. I encountered this incident twice until now. The first time it came about was when I was 7 years old, so I couldn't help but cry because it ruined my school hat.  The second time was after I grew up. The droppings spoiled my nice clothes, so I cursed it.  


I don't know why but originally there are a large number of pigeons in Japan. To make matters worse, many of them are used to humans because some people like to feed them at parks, streets and so on even though it is prohibited by our government. I want them to stop such a folly indeed.


By the way, my hubby has a pigeon breast, but he is truly pretty and good guy, so I forgave him.