Going Back

The day after tomorrow, I'm going to leave here and go back to Okinawa, Japan, and stay in there for a month.
So I can't write a post on May 31, and may be June 1. I reach Okinawa on June 1, 10:10 pm, if the schedule of the flight don't change at all.
I hope I can see my old friends at there while I'm staying.

LPI and English courses

I finally finished that English test, Language Proficiency Index (LPI) today!
I've been taking this test to get good results for the English courses that I want to take.
The course I wanted to take is called English 115, but I've been assigned to take Linguistics 099. Linguistics 099 is two levels below than the English 115, and it doesn't have a credit.
Let me put these courses in order; from the lowest, there are Linguistics 099, English 099, and English 115. Both LING 099 and ENGL 099 doesn't have a credit. So I really wanted to improve my English and take 115 or at least ENGL 099.
But since the university doesn't wait so long for my slow improvement, I decided to take any course which will be assigned from the result of this test in September. I thought I wrote well for the essay part compared to the last time, but then I thought I may not do well in the sentence structure and the English usage parts' 20 problems. I had to find an error for each sentences, but I didn't see the errors clearly especially in the English usage part. English usage is one of my biggest weak points.
But anyway, the test was done, and I know that I don't fall from LING 099. So I no longer worry about this test result!

English

These days, I feel that reading English is not as hard as used to be.
This is, of course, because I now know lots of words, idioms, phrases (and may be proverbs) than two years ago. Once I felt that the sentences I'm reading are comprehensible, then I can keep reading.
Also writhing is not as hard as used to be.
I'm sure that this everyday posting has proved some of it's effect. Today's hand-writing essay is not as bad looking as the last one.
I only hope I can keep calm during tomorrow's test (and the essay topic'll be accessible).

Harry Potter Book 5

Today, I bought the Harry Potter book 5, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix."
I've read the rest four books but haven't read this one. It's already past two years from the first publication of this title, so I think I'm a little dated.
But the book I bought is a pocket-sized adult edition which recently published (It's said 2005). It's much cheaper than the hard-cover edition and has much cooler design. I always liked to have the adult edition. So I feel good.
I bought this book also because to kill time during the flight to Japan. (I have the English test on Saturday, and leave here on Tuesday early morning... a little busy schedule for me.) I'm going to go back Japan in five days so I had to buy this book today. I'm expecting to have lots of time before the flight or riding the bus or ferry.
So I'll start reading this while I'm traveling.
I hope I can finish this before the class begin.

Crossed Out Phrases

Today, I finally practiced writing an essay.
Because the essay in the LPI test should be written in the test form itself and not even by a pencil but by a pen, I really needed to practice. And as you already know from this blog, I already used computer ways of writing so much. Therefore it's little frustrating to look my awful hand-writing with so many rewrites which are not erased at all. The papers really look awful by these not erased crossed out phrases.
But when I put them in Word, I found that the short essay satisfied the least number of words, 300. So what I need now is to make more sophisticated sentences in my head just before writing and put them out.
Then my essay shouldn't look so confused.

A List of New Words

Today, I made a word file called "New Words."
This is for new words that I leaned. These days, there are many Japanese comic books in bookstores, and so sometimes I go to one of the biggest bookstore in Victoria and read them for hours. I love reading comic books just like reading good novels, but just reading them in store and not buying them makes me so nervous. So I thought at least have to learn from them.
I've been reading them with my electronic dictionary, and there is a history of the words I checked. So I checked each of them by web-based English-Japanese dictionary and by copy-and-paste, made a list of new words.
I'd better check this everyday until I remember completely.

Credit Card

I prefer using Credit Card rather than cash.
The three reasons for this.
1. No left over small changes.
2. The detailed statement for checking my spending.
3. The frequent flier points which I can also use for shopping.
The last one is really good. I'm now rolling up those points to buy presents.

The Last LPI (for me)

On the next Saturday is an English test, the test "LPI."
I keep taking this text, but the next Saturday's will be the last one. I must practice writing for an essay, but I've been skipping. But yesterday, I rediscovered a good text book about writhing that I got from a friend a long time ago. ...I would better studying by this book until the test day.

Not Yet

This year, 2005, is the 60th Anniversary of the World War II.
Whether it's called the Victory in Europe, or the Victory over Japan, that war was over in 1945. However, when you look over the globe, there are still numerous wars all over the place.

About 3200 years ago Moses said, "You shall not murder (kill)."
Circa 2500 years ago, Buddha said, "Don't kill the living."
Around 2000 years ago, Jesus Christ said, "Love your enemies."
...

We haven't finished this lesson.

For the Past Deeds

Sometimes, we just aware that how much we've missed some important things in our past.
When we realize it, we are very disappointed to ourselves and regret why we didn't notice it at that time. But, may be the event and your behavior were very natural thing for the situation and your state of mind. And perhaps you also needed the time period to understand the thing.
So, when you understand, then you just start from that point. And it will be all OK.

Disney DVD

I really like Disney.
Unfortunately, I don't have a DVD or a video player right now, so I can't see any of those movies at home (unless it'll be on TV.) But, I'm planning that after I bought a new PC (which I'm planning to buy in three years,) or a new TV with DVD player, I'll correct those Disney movies!
I hope in three years the standardization of DVDs be done. So I can buy DVD in here and can see them by a Japanese PC.

A New Finding

When we find a new aspect of a person who we know for a long time,
we usually are surprised and feel the narrowness of our eyes.
This is the same as finding new yourself, because the discovery is actually done by soften your consciousness and widen your perception to unknown yourself.
This is one of the great pleasure for living in this world.

Smiles

Today, when I went to the university, I run into an old classmate. We didn't actually talk but at the instant we met, she smiled so beautifully, so I smiled back. That smile was somehow very touching.
After I felt very good, I also run into another old classmate, he also waved his hand so I waved my hand too.
These kinds of small things make me happy. Smiles really give happiness to others.
So my next level is to give smiles before others do.

The Middle Way

I've been so lazy in these days.
I know this is the reaction from the hard study just before the finals. And the hard study before the test was the result of laziness during the semester. But again, the last semester's laziness was the reaction from the fall term's hard study.
I really need to enter the "middle way." So I can study continuously without being worn out.

Trial Sounds

I really like violin sound.
I often visit a homepage of a music store which sells strings only, and download the violins sounds. They put trial sounds and comments for each violin on the page and because they are played by one good violinist, we can listen the good sounds of each violin (I can't distinguish the difference though).
Anyway, when I'm tired, I often listen these sounds and feel refreshed.
It's said that the high pitch sounds are good for brain. I feel it is true.

One Blue Print

As I know more about myself, I also know more about other people.
It seems that everyone's mind has the same structure and is made from one blue print.

Web Pages

I've been changing my homepage which I hadn't been done it for about a half of a year!
I'm using the university's web space to put those pages, so tomorrow I'm going to go to the university and update them. It may takes time to remember how to put the pages...

The Basis

Do you know that in the basis of every low, every existence, and every incidents is there "Love."
If you see things though love, you'll understand the cause or the reason of the thing, and you also will find the best way to solve it. Basically, every problem rises from lack of Love.
Everything should be done with Love.

Human Mind

"Everything is in the human mind."
Recently, I've been feeling how real these words are. I feel enormous diversity of the world and countless of events in the world, but in the end, all that are "felt" by "my mind."
Here is another quote;
"The mind can even think about the universe. So which is larger, the universe or the mind?"

Constant Study

It's very important to study constantly.
Only if I can study constantly, I don't be hasty or become lazy.
But it's so difficult!

A sparrow

Today, when I was sitting at the square before the parliament building, a little sparrow close to me. It was twittering and flitting around the bench, and flew away. It was so cute.
Every animals on this earth is so unique that I can't help to feel the Creator's highly-developed humor.
I think he (or she) really enjoyed designing and creating this world and still now having fun for creating new things. And I'm sure that he loves them all.

Planning

In these days, I'm looking Japan's largest Internet shopping mall, "Rakuten."
I'm going to go back to Japan in about 4 weeks, and I'm planning to buy many things at there. And I'm also looking forward to visit second hand book store. There will be lots of books published while I'm in here and I'm so excited about reading those. Internet is fun, but reading books (include comic books) is much more fun!
... But before that, I need to prepare for an English test in three weeks.

Stereoscopic Imaging Device

There is one thing I really want someone to invent, "stereoscopic imaging device," the one often appears in SF movie or drama.
If there is this device, I will connect to my PC and estimate the thing in the web store. It's going to be really really useful.

Fish & Chips

Today, a friend and I went to a place called Fisherman's Wharf.
There are some small vendors at that area, but our main purpose was the vender which sells nice fish and chips. This was the third trial for nice fish & chips. Last time when we went out to eat it at the different store that we had kept an eye on, the store was closed. So we went to a different shop which we picked out a brochure at a tourism centre, but the fish & chips at there wasn't so good. But today, the well-reputed fish & chips at Fisherman's Wharf was really really good that it completely erased our bad memories about it.
So, this is "All's well that ends well."

Perfection

We all learn from failure.
If there is no failure, there is no success.
We know the taste of fail and so know the glory of success.
We are all imperfect, and taking steps to perfect.
This is the reason for existence.

In All Seasons

It's already in May, and the leaves of deciduous trees already became green.
But, on my coffee table, there is a Santa Claus cup. This cup is very easy to use, so even in summer time, I use this.
By the way, do you know what Santa Claus really give on Christmas Day? It's his love. His love to children and adults. And I'm sure that the Saint who became the model of Santa, gave his love not only in the winter time, but also in the summer time.
So, I also want to be like them. Giving love in all seasons.

World Maps

I really like a globe and world maps.
Especially a world map teaches me how people in other countries see the world.
The first world map I looked was printed in Japan, and so it was a map with Japan in the centre. After the largest ocean, Pacific Ocean, North and South American continents were placed in right, and Eurasia and African continents were drew in left. So Atlantic Ocean was divided in two pieces.
I was used with the map like that, but one day, I saw a map with North America in the centre. It was a big shock. In the map, Japan was placed in left, and Eurasia was divided in two pieces. That map taught me how the North American people sees the world. After I saw the map, I immediately asked my cousin who lived in U.S. base (she married with a military man) to buy me the same type of world map. This happened when I was about 9 or 10.
Now in my house in Japan, there are two types of world map, one is Japan as the centre and the other is North America as the centre.
I heard in Australia, they use the map with South Pole as the top. I want to have the map too. It's very interesting to know many different view points.

Story from Friends

Talking with friends is a good thing.
You can find and learn lots of things from them. By listening their story, you can find a new aspect of the friend and the reason of their action. What you hear is the word for you to learn. One differs his word by seeing the person in front of him. What you hear from the friend is different from his other friend. His other friend listen little different story from you. So the words you hear is really only for you and you can really make use of it.

Music

Yesterday, when I went to the public library, I heard very beautiful sound.
It was from an instrument which was played by an Asian-man. The instrument was like a recorder but it has three tubes as one set. But the most interesting part was the top. There was a small light-brown gourd shaped like an snowman with only two bodies. The man was inbreathing to the gourd and playing some very relaxing melody. The melody was also very enigmatic. It's like a melody from China. It didn't have a strong melody that one could remember by hearing once. It was like a back-ground music, but somehow the tunes are very touching. So many people heading to the library stopped walking and be captivated by its sound.
The man was succeed to express his peaceful mind to others without using any words. Even if he can't spoke English well, we know that he is a man who don't lose temper so easily.
Music is a language for everyone on this Earth. We can express any feeling by music and others naturally understand it.