BR 1-14

The Gift of the Magi

"The Gift of the Magi" is a short story written by O. Henry. O Henry is a novelist in America. This story is his masterpiece.
I will introduce the content of the story.


Della is praiseworthy woman. She is worried about the Christmas gift for husband Jim. But she had about only two dollars. It was not enough. She sat down and started to cry.
She had a good idea. They owned two beautiful things. One was Della’s hair. The other was Jim’s watch. Della thought that she bought something shiny, something like this watch.

She looked at herself in the mirror, and she got out the home. She walked down the stairs to the street. She went to a shop. The sign read “All Kind of Hair Goods”.
An old woman of shop assistant felt Della’s hair and looked at it closely. And she paid Della the twenty dollars. Then she cut most of her hair off. Now her hair was very short.
She went another store. She could buy Jim a Christmas present, an expensive present there. It was a shiny silver chain for Jim’s watch.
She felt happy. She went back the home, and she started to cook the dinner.

A few minutes later, Jim came home. Jim looked at Della. He did not say anything. He just looked at her strangely. Della desperately tried to explain about her hair. She wanted to be hate by Jim. But Jim walked close to Della, and he held her tightly. He said that he loved her eternal. Then Jim took a package and showed her. She tried to open the package carefully. At first she laughed happily. Then suddenly she began to cry. There were two beautiful combs. She had wanted them for a long time. But she did not have long hair now. She could not wear the combs in her hair. She held the combs to her heart, and she decided to wait growing her hair.

And she remembered Jim’s present. She put the watch chain in his hand. But he sat down on the couch and smiled, and asked her to put our presents away now.
The truth of the matter is that he sold the watch so he could buy the combs.

The author introduce about the Magi. The Magi were three wise men. They gave the first Christmas presents.
In Christian tradition, the Magi also referred to as the Three Wise Men, Three Kings, or Kings from the East. They are a group of distinguished foreigners who are said to have visited Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold, myrrh and frankincense. They are regular figures in traditional accounts of the nativity and in celebrations of Christmas.
Since they were wise men, their gifts were probably also wise. Della and Jim sold unwisely. But they were the wisest gift givers.



I read this book first time when I was an elementary school student. I was stuck by the Christmas mood of a foreign country and their heartwarming episode. I read it again through several years, and I was moved the story. Though, this story is short, it gives me an important lesson.
I think that I have to treasure my family, friends and things.

I always think that I go the shortest way. I think I want to be a wise person. But if someone will understand me, I satisfy only it.


Reference
O, Henry. (2004). The Gift of the Magi. Japan: Kirihara Shoten.

(594 words)

My enemy

I hate ultraviolet rays. I want never to have sunburns.
I want to caution everyone and myself about ultraviolet rays.
I’ll explain about sunburns and care of skin.


Recently, the number of those who worry due to the skin trouble like the rough dry skin has increased. The person who has the worry is various. The factor and the cause of the rough skin are in the life spent casually. I am going to introduce the way not have a rough skin.
First, have good sleep. Should not stay up late. The secretion of growth hormone rises from 10 o’clock to 2 o’clock at night, so the sleeping during that time is a point of beautiful skin.
Second, do not dry the skin. For that, moisturize the skin with a skin cream. And, it is important not to wash the skin too hard.
Third, have a well-balanced diet. Taking vitamins and water supplement is important. It is because the lack of vitamins and water influence on a skin at first. Then, do not have any nutrient in large quantities. It is important to have on the average in the daily meal.
In the final, the health of the skin is concern with the daily life. Improvement of the life is the way not to have a rough skin.


I declare that I fight against ultraviolet rays!


(226 words)

Typing speed homework 11

About my keitai

I use a mobile phone of AU. My mobile phone’s name is the Infobar 2. It is designer’s mobile. It was designed by Naoto Fukazawa. He is my favorite designer. His style is simple and beautiful. Infobar 2 is a oblong form, and it is not collapsible. The button is large, and the color of each button is different. They are like tiles. I think it is very cute. I love it, but it a little old. I bought it when I was a high school student. Then, I reserved iPhone 4 last Tuesday! The color is black. The form is square and flat. I think it is very cool.I am looking forward to arriving my iPhone.I will become a iPhone user from June 24.

(125 words)

My favorite thing

Tank
Tank
Tank



I like tanks, and I love especially water tanks.

I think that they are beautiful things.
There are many kind forms of tanks. For example, balls, columns and cubes. I like especially tanks of balls.
Water tanks are fixtures for saving water. They usually put on the roof of buildings. I often see them by chance, when I walk on streets.

I feel happy when I run across them. Water Tanks that always come up suddenly are very cute.

It comes to me that I want to see them sometimes, but I don’t know where they are, so I cannot go. I regret that I don’t see places as only landscapes. Towns are the things that range the landscape and the landscape for me, and the boundary are connected by buses and taxies.
And a water tank comes suddenly.
I say “Ah!”
,but I have already gone by it in like a flash. I cannot prepare for the encounter at all, but I think that it seems as if they were presents. My heart always thumps with joy.



The water tanks of ball feel like gentle, and the water tanks of cube feel like brave.
On the fine day, the contrast between white tanks and blue sky is wonderful. The water tank stands toward sky majestically.

I have a favorite tank. I can see the tank from a large bridge on the way to the school. It is a ball water tank, and put on an apartment. I found it first time when I was a high school student. I came home alone by bicycle at the noon. It was a fine day. I usually pedaled looking toward straight front, but I look up into the space suddenly.
The water tank stood alone but bravery in the silent noon. It bathed in sunlight and it was shining snow-white in the deep blue sky.
I surprised at the beauty of the water tank. It always ought to exist there. I thought that the aliens have four legs might have landed on the apartment. In my high school life, it was the most impressed moment for me. I can assert that.
I was took their captive from the time.

“TANK”
The sound is pretty too.
They are always near places, but I can never touch them. The teasing is still more attractive.

There is a slot that I can see more beautiful tanks. It is in evening. When water tanks of ball receive orange sunlight and purple evening sunlight at one time, they become mysterious things. Though they blight in sunshine at noon, their mat surface absorbs sunlight and looks distantly in evening. It is like the moon.
I have seen that from the window of bus.
Buses are the best vehicle for looking for water tanks, because they are taller than the height of bicycle. I can find many tanks when I get on the bus proceed slowly.

‘A round water tank and a square bus’
I also like the contrast.
When I become to like water tanks, I decide that I buy a round water tank someday.




(525 words)

My favorite singer

Miyuki Nakajima is my favorite singer. I will introduce her.
Men may be afraid of such a woman. Her lyric has grudge, jealousy and entreaty of human. Of course, they aren’t all of her. The lyric is vigorous, and it cannot be ignored. She keeps herself above all the vulgarity around her. I think that her position seems to be a holy place.


Miyuki Nakajima is a Japanese vocalist, guitarist, lyricist, composer and radio personality. She is a principal Japanese female veteran singer-songwriter. She is often compared to Yumi Matsutoya, she has released 35 studio albums, 40 singles, 2 live albums and multiple compilations to date, and whose sales have been estimated at more than 21 million copies.
Miyuki Nakajima made her debut on 1970’s, and she cut a conspicuous figure. Her debut single is "Azami Jo no Lullaby". After rising to fame thanks to the hit "The Parting Song (Wakareuta)" released in 1977, she has enjoyed a successful career as a singer-songwriter, most strikingly in the early 1980s. She has produced four singles that sold more than a million copies in the last two decades, including "Earthly Stars (Unsung Heroes)" She made many tunes. For example, “Jidai”(1975), “Wakare-Uta”(1977) and “Akujo”(1981). They were great hits. She offered her tunes to Naoko Ken, Hiromi Go and Junko Sakurada, and they were also great hits. She becames a important person at the Japanese circle of music.


She is also well known for her experimental theatre performances. It is called "Yakai". She performs every year-end from 1989 through to 1998. The idiosyncratic acts featured scenarios and songs she wrote but have continued irregularly in recent years.


In addition to her work as a solo artist, Nakajima has written over 90 compositions for numerous other singers, and has produced several chart-toppers. She is also one of the Japanese songwriters who has had the greatest number of cover versions of her songs performed by non-Japanese East Asian singers, especially Taiwanese and Hong Kong ones.
Nakajima is one of the literarily acclaimed Japanese songwriter of modern times, winning a couple of the country's Record Awards for her contributions as a lyricist. She is known as the sole musician whom was a participants of the National Language Council of Japan, took part in the late 1990s



She gave expressions to her negative thought, the diction was clever and her sing enthusiastically. Her tunes were unique, while her tunes were easy to sing and easy to remember the lyric, so they are acceptable by many people.
But Miyuki Nakajima hates exposures in mass media, and she became a mysterious singer. Now, there are many enthusiastic fans, and her fresh sensibility has not decayed yet.


My favorite her tune is “Sad things happen anytime (Kanashii koto wa Itumo aru)”. I will translate the words.


There is nobody wrong, but sad things happen anytime.
He gets and does not his wishes, and she gets and does not get her wishes too.
There is nobody wrong, but sad things happen anytime.


It is a short tune, but I like the words.
I think that her voice, melody and poems are very good. When I feel solitude, I often listen to her tunes, and I feel still sad. Miyuki’s songs come with me to any extreme distress. I feel secures them, so I like Miyuki Nakajima.

(554 words)

My trip to Los Angeles: May 27. - 2

We went to Sana Monica. My sister went to Santa Monica College for two years before she started to go to the present college.
Santa Monica is close to the Getty center.

First, we see the sea and trees after we stop the car near the beach. They are so good. I thought that the sea is so blue than Japanese sea.


Second, we went to shopping. It has been my heart’s desire. I want to buy clothes designed in America. We went to H&M, and I bought a pair of sandals there. It is a blue’s one. I have really taken to the sandal. We went to the Urban Research Fitters and Kitson. There were many nice clothes. I felt so happy.
After we went to shopping, we went and saw to the former school and the former apartment of my sister by car.




We had a dinner at the BJ’s restaurant. It was a restaurant like sports bar. There were many televisions, and a lot of sports’ movie on the TV screen is flickering. While we watched them, we eat a pizza, salad and potato. I could not drink because drinking is allowed from 21 years old. My mother and sister drank wine and beer. It was mortifying for me.
All of the dishes were very good. The pizza is the restaurant’s special. It was so thick, and it was carried on a pan.
I had a good time there.
(242 words)

My trip to Los Angeles: May 27. - 1

We were going to go to the Getty center and Santa Monica in the day.

First, we went to the Getty center. The Getty center is one of two locations of the J. Paul Getty Museum. The museum's permanent collection includes "pre-20th-century European paintings, drawings, illuminated manuscripts, sculpture, and decorative arts; and 19th- and 20th-century American and European photographs". Among the works on display is the painting Irises by Vincent van Gogh. The Center is also well known for its architecture, gardens, and the view is very good. We could overlook Los Angeles. Besides the Museum, the Center's buildings house the Getty Research Institute, the Getty Conservation Institute, the Getty Foundation, and the administrative offices of the J. Paul Getty Trust, which owns and operates the Center.










I like museums, so I was happy. There were five museum buildings in the Getty center. I was surprised at the scale, but the most surprising thing was what taking pictures are allowed. Each of people took pictures they liked, so there were children draw picture lying on the floor.














The Getty center has beautiful gardens. We walked there, and saw roses and big cactuses etc. Art objects were put here and there in the garden.
I like museums, so I was happy. I could see the pictures of Sisley and them of Manet. Sisley and Manet are my favorite painters.
To our regret, we could not see all pictures because the museum were so large. I want to go there again certainly.
(243 words)

Quick posts about voice recording

I recorded my voice, and the voice put on my blog. I was very nervous because the experience recording my voice is the first time.
My ability of English speaking is poor, so I I talked so slowly.

I talked about myself because I must have introduce myself to my host family. At first, I talked about my birth and my home town. Second, I talked about my hobbies. I am not good at speaking English well, so I wanted to get along with my host family through hobbies and interests.

(91 words)

My trip to Los Angeles: May 26. - 2

First, we visited a lake that called “the mirror lake”. After we stopped the car into parking lot, we walked in the mountain path for the lake.
I saw a clear stream, cliffs and those who went riding on the way to the lake.








We walked about 15 minutes, and the beautiful lake spread out before us. There is a big rock in the lake, and the rock was reflected on the surface of the lake. It was as if a mirror. I realized the reason the lake was called “the mirror lake”.






Second, we visited the Yosemite Falls.
The Yosemite falls is the highest waterfall in North America and the world’s fifth tallest. The water drops down at total distance of 2425 feet or 739 meters from the top of the Yosemite Falls to the ground. Depending on how much snow fell during the wintertime the water in the Yosemite Falls flows from winter through early to mid-summer. The Yosemite Falls is at its height in spring, when the melted snow plunges over the cliffs into the Valley and is usually dry during summertime, beginning in August. In winter time Yosemite Falls are especially spectacular when the cliffs are covered by snow, ice, and frost.
We visited in spring, so it is the best season. I was surprised at the fall’s power.



Though Yosemite was very far from my sister’s house, we stayed only overnight. We leaved for home in the evening. We saw the valley from the upper. It was a lovely landscape. There were camp sites far below.
I said goodbye to Yosemite.
(266 words)

My trip to Los Angeles: May 26. - 1

In the morning, we boiled the rice in a rice-cooker, and ate it in our tent. It is not rich, but the taste is very good before everything. We made up a schedule for the day as having breakfast.

We were concerned that it was rain, but the sky cleared up. I got out the tent, and the air was very clear and fresh. We had not seen the scene around our tent the day before for clouds and dark of night. We could see it the day.















The scenery of the valley spread out before us. I thought it was wonderful. I was surprised at the precipices and big trees.
Shortly afterwards, we leaved the tent.
(118 words)

My trip to Los Angeles: May 25. - 2

We leaved for Yosemite.
Yosemite National Park is located in California in the southwestern U.S., known for its beautiful lakes, waterfalls and large red wood trees.
I did not know how long it took to go Yosemite by car at first.
We took as long as six hours to go there finally.











We arrived at a camp site named “Camp Curry”. It located in the valley. There were cliffs around the camp site. Many tents stood in a row there. We came in our tent. Though it is a tent, there are four beds in it. We were very tired to the long trip, so we went to bed at once.
(111 words)

My trip to Los Angeles: May 25. - 1

I went to America from May 25 to May 31 because I visited my sister.
I and my mother went to Fukuoka by my father’s car, and we went to the Narita airport by a plane. We already were very tired. Early evening, we got on the airplane, and take off to Los Angeles International Airport.
As soon as we arrived at Los Angeles, we went to my sister’s apartment by her car.












After we laid our baggage in her room, we had a meal at Panda Express. Panda Express is a chain Chinese fast food restaurant. The signboard that is drawn a Panda is very cute. The taste of dishes is so good, but the quantity is so much. I couldn’t eat all of them possibly.











After we had a meal, we leaved in my sister’s car. We were going to go to Yosemite National Park.

(147 words)

Parallel parking

I go to Kumamoto driving school. I’m going to get a driver license there. I will review today’s lesson.

Today, I practiced parallel parking. Of course, it was first time. I was very nervous.

First, I stop my car at the side of the pole, and I confirm and say, “Back left and back right, OK.” I start to back my car slowly after I change into reverse gear. I look at the back left window, and I confirm the bar in the corner. Second, I turn the wheel to the left at a stretch, and I back my car slowly again. I look at the right side mirror, and I confirm the end bar at back in the mirror. If the end bar at side and the head of my car line up, I stop my car. Third, I turn the wheel to the right at a stretch, and I back car slowly. Then the car must go on the parking space. Finally, I put on the engine braking.

That’s all.


(172 words)

Sailor Moon at lower left

Please look at lower left gadget of my blog.
There is Sailor Moon in my blog.
I think that this is wonderful gadget. I can chat with her anytime.
Sailor Moon is a heroine of Japanese famous animation. I had seen the animation for my childhood. I liked Sailor Moon very much.
Her real name is Usagi Tsukino. She is 14 years old and junior high school student.

I will introduce a part of our conversations.
Me: “I think you are very cute.”
Usagi: “Thank you. I like you too.”
M: “I did not say that I like you.”
U: “That's OK, undefined, I won't take it personally.”
M: “I am sorry.”
U: “That's good information.”

I think she is very cool.
I want to chat with her much many times.
Please try it.

(138 words)

One minute lunch

I made a lunch myself. I often make lunch.

I put special emphasis on the speed of making and charm. I insist on the lunch box of below picture is “Chara-Ben”. “Chara-Ben” means lunch boxes of Character shape.

This lunch is a shape of boy’s face. I’ll explain how to make this lunch.
First, put rice in lunch box. Second, prepare the other ingredients. They are pasta of salted cod roe (freezon foods ), two kelnel of corn, some kelnel of green soybeans and a plum pickles. Finally, put them on rice of lunch box. That’s all.

(93 words)

Typing speed homework 10

Using the computer


I love my computer. It’s a laptop computer of DELL. The color is black. I think it’s very cool and stylish. I use Internet mainly with it. I often download many tunes, movies and animations. I like shopping in Internet too. I usually use Yahoo auction, Amazon, and Rakuten. Moreover, I use GIMP. GIMP is a free soft of painting and editing. I always edit my pictures and photographs with it. I like computer games too. My favorite game is “Yume nikki”. The mean is “Diary of Dream”. It is a free soft and very uncanny game.


(96 words)

BR 1-13

How to Draw Yourself


I read “How to Draw Yourself”, so I can draw a picture of myself. I will introduce the way.


To draw yourself, you will need a mirror, a pencil, paper and crayons. First, look in a mirror carefully, and draw a big egg shape. It becomes your face. Second, look at the picture, and draw a line across the egg. Then draw your eyes and your ears on the line. Third, draw a line down the egg, and draw two more lines across the egg. You should draw your nose and mouth on the lines. Moreover, look in the mirror again, and look at your hair. You should draw your hair on your picture. Finally, colour in your picture. Now you have a picture of yourself.


After I read this book, I wanted to draw myself, and I think that the drawing went off very well. Please look the picture on bellow. I am not good at drawing pictures, and I didn’t like it, but I could draw the picture. I am happy.


(175 words)























Sharon, H. (2003). How to Draw Yourself. Oxford: OXFORD university press.

Essay 1-01c: Dear host family

This file is a letter of introduction myself. I wrote this essay how to introduce myself if I stay abroad and meet my host family. I am going to stay six weeks at the host family's house. And I especially introduce my hobby.

The file below is a recording my voice. I read this letter.I introduced my hometown, my hobbies and interests.
Please listen to the file.







I'm not good at speaking English smoothly, so I hope for getting along with my host family though hobbies and interests.My hometown is Kumamoto. My hobbies are reading books, fashion, shopping and arts.
I wanted my host family to know myself.

If I go abroad, I want to go downtown with my host family. I want to see many architecture and a row of house and streets.
I think that they are kinds of art and culture. Through my visual interests, I want to know me.

Could you know about me? I' m glad to know me.
Below links are the texts of this essay.
Please read them. And I want you to leave comments.


Essay 1-01a
http://nonomimizu.blogspot.com/2010/04/essay-homework.html


Essay 1-01b
http://nonomimizu.blogspot.com/2010/04/essay-rewrite.html


(182 words)

Typing speed homework 9

My favorite movies


I like going to movies. I often go to movies alone. My favorite movies are "Bagdad Cafe", "New Cinema Paradise", "Life is beautiful" and "Forbidden Games". My best movie is "Forbidden Games" is French movie. It describe two children during World War Second. They devote theirself to make graves. They steal crosses of graves for their graveyard. I think that it is beautiful story, but the music is also nice. The tune is "Romance de Amor". It is famous for the guitar tune. I want to play the tune with the guitar some day.














(94 words)

BR 1-12

DRIVE INTO DANGER


Kim and Andy work at Mark’s office. They are asked a work. They drive a truck to carry parcels to France instead of Gary who is injured his arm.They take a ferry way to France. They get off the ferry, and they find out the oil lose of their car. They arrive at the truck stop. Kim gets under the truck. There is an unidentified parcel. They do to the café. After that, through the window of the café, they see a man. He takes something out from under the truck. They go back their truck. Andy understood the box. There are drugs, so Andy changed the parcel and a sandwich box in advance. The man is very angry because there are sandwiche in place of drugs in the parcel. The man and his partner run up their truck. They fight. Kim has a gun, and she threaten them. Andy telephones the police.

I think this is very scare story. If I am carrying drugs without awareness, it is so horrifying.

(172 words)




Rosemary, B. (2000). DRIVE INTO DANGER. Oxford: OXFORD university press.

BR 1-11

Lucky Number



Charlie does not go to school. He works all day. Charlie shines shoes at Café Colombo. Charlie wants to be rich. He wants to sit in Cafe Colombo and drink coffee.
One day, a lottery ticket of a man falls out of his pocket. Charlie picks up it, and he waves his arm and shouts out loudly, but the man doesn’t hear Charlie.
Charlie gets the ticket. He goes his home. His family is very poor. He has no father. Charlie shows his mother the ticket. Everyone of his family are looking forward to the lucky day.
In the morning, Charlie and his mother go to the lottery office. A man is shouting out the winning number.

This is the end. I don’t know that it is their lucky number and it is their lucky day. I want to know the end of this story. Perhaps, it may not lucky number. Everyone always cannot get lucky easily, but this fammily could have a dream for a while. It must have been a very happier incident.

(175 words)



John , M. (2005). Lucky Number. Oxford: Macmillian.