The Big Issue

I visited one of my favorite website today. I read today was a weekly content that famous people introduce their five favorite books (or magazine).
The person of this week was Kami Hiraiwa an actress in Japan. She introduces the magazine 'the big issue'. I didn't know this magazine, so I was impressed when I know the purpose of this magazine. You can't get this magazine at bookstore. The only way to buy this magazine is homeless people. This is a project to help homeless people to get a job and work. I don't think It is good for homeless people to give money. That can't help them in the true sense of the term. What should we do is to help that people to get job.

Pompeii

I had a class 'life and death in Pompeii' at Concordia Uiniversity Saint Paul. This class was connected to the exhibition at Minnesota Science Museum.

Later I know that the father of my host child's friend helped designing volcano map. He teaching volcano in a college. There was a big map showing where we have volcanoes in the world with red LED. Japan was perfectory red and it made me scared.

Interview: Takeshi Kitano

Takeshi Kitano is a famous Japanese film director or a comedian known the world over . I don't know him very much. But I found an article of his comment about Japanese culture in Western culture at MSN news and was very interesting, so I'd like to try translate it below.

Q: Recently, western people use a word 'Cool Japan' and Japanese contemporary culture tend to be accepted by them actively. Do you feel this movement as a producer of this kind of culture when you are in abroad country?

The first time I went to abroad, Japan was thought as a small Asian country which defeated in war. After that, I think we were considered that we got a great economic glowth and had money as well. However I came to go to abroad as a director in 1990's, I felt the chenge how I was treated. When I went to the film festival in Venice, related parties treated me respectfully and many people asked me my autograph or picture with me when I walked around the city. They were happy with my autograph. This remind me how we treated European people in Japan decade ago. Then naturally I realized I don't need to abase myself, and felt I am recognized to many people.

Q: Why do you think Japanese culture is accepted in western culture?

well, Japanese are good with details for everything, I mean precise. You will get if you compare Japanese food to junk food from United States. It can happen that I can't eat sushi at a sushi bar in France beside of Japanese food fad. They looks Sushi, but they were not, like French understand nothing about sushi! See, only Japanese can make sushi. Japanese chef told me 'those are just a mess'. There is such a big difference.
　the culture in such 隣近所を意識するような国はcontries are precise. I don't think it still works no longer though.　Hollywood movie goes like 'How many people watches?' Trying to gather people, nothing is better than 'knockabout'. Using CG and explosion! They are fun あれは確かにディズニーランド的でいいからと思うんだよね」
　However, I think Japan can exist because of the United States. Also in Cultural side. We need the United States. We need Desney land, Mcdonaldo and KFC. They make Japanese culture shine out standing in contrast. Both culture are related each other, not independent. We usually 'compare to' something when thinking of the things. It is same when we think about Japanese culture, we compare this to American culture, I think. I am sure that 'broad' American culture is neccesary, so opposite Japanese culture are accepted to those countries.

Stronge Than Me

Amy Winehouse is my new favorite singer. But I know only one song she sings. I play her CD in my car(I mean my host's car), but my host kids don't let her sing other song. because they love only one song. It made me addictred. The title of the song is 'Stronger than me'. This song goes....

You should be stronger than me
You been here 7 years longer than me
Don't you know you supposed to be the man,
Not pal in comparison to who you think I am,

You always wanna talk it through - I don't care!
I always have to comfort you when I'm there
But that's what I need you to do - stroke my hair!

Cos' I've forgotten all of young love's joy,
Feel like a lady, but you my lady boy,

You should be stronger than me,
But instead you're longer than frozen turkey,
Why'd you always put me in control?
All I need is for my man to live up to his role,
Always wanna talk it through- I'm ok,
Always have to comfort you every day,
But that's what I need you to do - are you gay?

He said 'the respect I made you earn -
Thought you had so many lessons to learn'
I said 'You don't know what love is - get a grip!' -
Sounds as if you're reading from some other tired script

I'm not gonna meet your mother anytime
I just wanna rip your body over mine
So tell me why you think that's a crime

I've forgotten all of young love's joy
Feel like a lady, but you my lady boy
You should be stronger than me.....

My children, 2 and 4 years girl and boy sings this song(almost all!) every morning and afternoon! I didn't know this song. But after hearing the kids sang this song, I became a fan of her! Because 4 year-old boy sang ' You been here 7 years longer than me. Don't you know you supposed to be the man' emotionally. Also 2 year-old girl was trying to sing. That was so cute!


Chenging the subject, I sometime think Amy Winehouse and our teacher Lisa looks like to each other....no?

The Minnesota State Fair

The Minnesota State Fair is held for two weeks until Labor day in Saint Paul. I heard that the Minnesota State Fair is the largest State Fair in United States. I don't know if that is true or not, but the fair was huge! Everything in the states is big for me, so I have I wouldn't be surprised at what I see anymore. But I was! I can't understand why you keep such a vast land for State Fair held only for two weeks. If you try to do the same thing in Japan, everyone would get mad and send complaint letters to governors! Anyway, the Fair was huge and I couldn't see everything in there. It takes several days to see everyting in the Fair.

I went there with my host family. My host kids love animals and I am an Animal Science student, so we focused on the farm area. First, we went to 'The Miracle of Birth' barn to see the moms and baby animals. This was my host mom's favorite part. They gathered pregnant animals in this barn such as cows, horses, pigs, goats, sheeps, and ducks. They were giving birth everyday during the fair. You can attend a birth if you are lucky. We didn't have that oppotunity, but we could touch all different kind of animal babies. They were warm, cozy and tiny objects.

There was several barns for each farm animal, horses, cows, and pigs. My favorite one was the cattle barn. There were many breeds I'd never seen. I was so excited! And there was a competition. The farmers combed their cow's fur and trimmed their hooves. The cattles in my school farm were always dirty. I don't think they never trimmed thir fur. Therefore the cattles in the barn were so beautifu for me.

My host kid's favorite was the horse barn because he loves horses, but he was scared when he saw real one. When we entered the barn, the mountain police from Canada was getting ready for the parade. Each policeman had a horse. We could see how they harnessed the horses. They were also beautiful in the harnesses with the maple trademark on their hips. After making a roll call, they went to the parade.

The Fair also had some rides. We rode on the gondola. We could see everything in the fair from the sky. But I couldn't see where the end of the fair was because the fair was huge.

After that, we got a famous cookie bucket for $13, which were delicious! I wish I could buy these cookies anytime I want. I loved them. I can't wait the fair next year. I can't wait for seeing farm animals and eating yummy cookies again!

Fashion Check!

We have some big colleges in my neighborhood and many college students live around my house. Some of them pass by my house in the morning and late afternoon. My secret hobby is to check their fasions through the window. I have two favorite students who have good senses of fashion. They have good hats, jackets, shirts, pants and shoes, and know how to use them very well.

One of them is a boy who passes my house around 7:30 by bicycle. This is the time when I'm feeding the kids, so I can check him out from my kitchen window every morning. But he goes so fast down the street, that checking his style is difficult. Also I can't see him when I am busy with the kids. But most days I check him out. I cannot tell how he looks, because he passes so fast, but I think he is cute... Anyway, I am sure that he is the best dresser in my neighborhood. I can give him a prize!

The other is a girl I see when I get back from the busstop after saying bye-bye to the boys. Around 9:00 is the time she comes out from her house. She is so pretty, has big round eyes and very short red hair. Also, she has a good sense of fashion! There is a proverb 'Heaven doesn’t hand out double servings', but God gave her style and sense! Hey godess, that's not fair, give me either one of them!

This is why I enjoy my neighborhood. It's a secret!

Go Wilds Go!!!

Winter is coming! Winter is coming! Are you ready for winter? I'm almost ready.

To start my winter in Minnesota, I went to Xcel Enagy to watch Wild's game. The Wilds is an ice hockey team we have. Newspapers say the Wild is not good this season and predict 4th out of 5 teams in the league. But, I support you, Wilds! To tell the truth, this is my first time to go to ice hockey game in United States.

It was my first time to go to Xcel Energy, I was surprised because the stadium was huge! There were about 18000 audience coming to see the game. And what's more, the opening of the game was amazing. You should go and see it!

When the game started, I watched the game eating french fries and popcorn. In the first quarter, Wild was tried to shoot many times. But the goaly was great! #23!! He saved all shoots!

Ofcourse Wild won the game 2-0. It made me so happy. And the goaly won the number one player for this game! I am his fan now!

Express more!

I found out that to express myself is the hardest thing for me in the United States. I don't tell many things. This is because I don't think that to tell everything to other peoples is always the best way . So sometimes people think I am shy, but I'm not, I just don't want to express myself out loud.

I was surprised how people express their feelings a lot when I moved to United States. Americans, Brazilians, Mexicans...everyone except Japanese. They laugh a lot, are quick to cry, and get angry everyday. I thought this is too much. You may say this Japanese girl has no emotion, but this is my way. Why do you need to tell everything out loud?

Sometimes my friends tell me 'I talk to you and you just listen. Don't you want to tell me something?' But I answer them 'No, that's okay. I enjoy your story and I have nothing to tell you now. I will start talking when I have something to tell you.' Just because the different how many stories do you have you want to share with your friends.

I think this is a part of Japanese culture, we are good at reading the minds of others. We guess what the others are thinking about. Then we find out what we can do for the person. I think most of Japanese do this way. But in the United States, if you don't say anything, nobody understands you. This is the difference. In Japan Silence is Golden.

EDIT:
I went to Minnesota Science museum this weekend and found the Einstein's saying on a mugcup. It goes
If A equals success, then the formula is A = X + Y + Z.
X is work.
Y is play.
Z is keep your mouth shut