Nostalgic Snow

On my day off, when I was just goofing around at home, I looked outside.
Then...I said, "Wow!" It was snowing. Completely, snowing.
It was the first time to snow in Tokyo this winter. It sleeted once, but not snowed.

"Snow" always reminds of me my hometown.
It was "usual" to have a lot of snow in my hometown, Sapporo.
It took 20 minutes from my home to the nearest station.
In winter times, I was freezing while I was going to school or commuting.
Because it took more time to walk in winter, I think I had much more "trains of thought" while I was outside with snow.

When I was young, I was much more sensitive than myself right now(my skin gets thicker as I get older, maybe you too, you know...)
Sometimes I was worrying about how I could solve small problems among my friends or co-workers. Also, most of time, I think I had been frustrated with me, who couldn't break through. I wanted to change me, but it was not so easy.
Gosh! I was sensitive!

Now, my hubby got home, and kept watching comedy shows & laughing...
I'm not so vulnerable right now, and now I think nostalgia doesn't help me to improve situations. Make an effort for future instead of looking back the past!
...But right now, I'm gonna watch comedy TV shows with my hubby.
Hahaha!

Neither geek nor nerd

My 9th grade grammar class has just two student. Shoko and Yuzuru.
Shoko is a typical girl of the "cheerleader" type. She is cute, outgoing, athletic, and smart.
On the contrary of Shoko, Yuzuru looks awkward & unsociable boy.
I tried to drag what he was interested in. He said he loves computer games and mathematics. Hummm...
I thought he was either geek or nerd.

Today, he looked more uncomfortable than usual.
After the lesson, I asked him.
"Hey, Yuzuru! How are you? Do you have a cold or...pollen allergy? You look tired today!"
He squinted his eyes and said.
"Well, I burned the midnight oil last night..."
"For what? The terminal test?"
"No. I have to submit my thesis. The due day is tomorrow."
I opened my eyes wide with surprise.
"Thesis? You are a junior high student! What kind of topic?"
"brabrabra...( he said something I completely don't understand. That was a scientific topic.)"
"...OK. How many pages?"
"170."
"What!? Your school is crazy!"
He smiled a bit, "Right. My school is crazy. So I have to."
I said to him, "Well, thank you VERY MUCH for coming here. It's the hardest day for you!"
Then, he smiled again (it was VERY rare for him...")
"It's OK. See you next week."
Then, he left.

Some students are eloquent, but some have hardly talked about their background.
However, all of them have been trying hard to come to our English school, and making an effort to study in their free time.
We, teachers should try to communicate with them more to know their background.

Yuzuru is neither geek, nor nerd! Even though he looks so...

People around kids

Yuki is a little bit quiet, but very smart & nice kid.
Every Sunday, she comes to my 7-8 years old English class.
Her mother has a job, so after she finishes elementary school classes, she goes to day care school, and comes to our English school.
Her mother usually comes late to pick her up, so I always talk with her after the class.

Today, she was not quite herself.
"Hey Yuki, how's your day care class going?"
When she said, "Actually, some kids were really mean to me today..." her eyes were about to fill with tears.
I knew she is the one who don't want to cry in public.
So, I didn't ask her in details.
"Yuki, I know you are an ESPECIALLY good girl. I love you!
Let's play with me using this paper balloon!"
When we were playing, her smile came back.
Then, her mom appeared, and they went back to home.
After they left the school, Toshi and Rie asked me.
"Yuki looked not fine today. Was she OK??"

Kids would grow up, surrounded by many adults who look, worry, and care about them.
I didn't ask what happened to her in the day care, because I thought that was my position. Her mother may ask her about it. Toshi and Rie didn't even ask "What's wrong?" to her, but they noticed something happened to her.
The reactions were different depends on how much closer to her, but people around her can notice her difference, and cares her.

People around her make her grow. Someday, she will notice and appreciate that.
I hope me and my school can be one of them.

Comfortable Inspiration

I want to be a person who comforts & inspires people around me.
But, it's not easy because "comfort" and "inspiration" are opposite.
"Comfort type" people would be boring. "Inspire type" people would be too aggressive.
However, my old friend, Kaori, is like such a person.

She has a one-year-old boy, and has been taking a maternity leave.
From this coming April, she will be back to her job as a paralegal.
She will be very busy after going back to her job, so she visited my home today.

Her caring words were comfortable, thoughtful gifts were comfortable, and conversation with her was comfortable. We have been friends since we were seven years old, so...I guess our history and special intimacy made me more comfortable.
Also, her determination for her job inspired me.

My ideal holiday, "having a comfortable inspiration" day was over.
Save this energy for tomorrow! I didn't use my energy a lot today, even though I swore to do it yesterday...

Don't save your energy

When I was a college student, my bookkeeping class's professor said to us.
"Please imagine you would die after the class. You will not bored, and not be sleepy. You will concentrate on listening to the class with all of your energy. Listen to me like that, and live like that."
I was only one student whose major was English literature, but took the bookkeeping class. I was struggling to keep up with the class, so the professor's words very impressed me. Even though I completely forgot what I learned in the class...sorry!

Sometimes I thought, "I'm tired today, so let me avoid this talkative student ..." or "I didn't have enough time to prepare for the class, so I'll cut corners in this class!"
Frankly speaking, it was true...
However, since I read similar words from an famous playwright, I remembered what the professor said. Lately, I have "tried" to burn all of my energy day by day.

Maybe I can work harder to burn my energy out, but my effort has yielded some nice results, I guess.... Not very significant ones, but I could feel refreshing about it.

However...today's my last private student, Akira, who is 13 years old, forgot textbooks, yawned several times, and looked "daydreaming" in my class.
He seemed not to use his energy at all!
Should I burn out my energy for him??? No!!!
Oh, I went back to myself before...

Sunday Open

Today, I went to a free seminar for EIKEN preparation.
It was held by the EIKEN vocational school.
My school is sometimes open on Sundays to get prospectives.
This school was also open on the same purpose!

The lecturers were two ladies.
Their personalities looked opposite.
One is down-to-earth, funny, but too relaxed.
Another was very professional & succinct. But a little uptight.

It always is great learning for me to have another teachers' English classes.
Today, I learned the medium character of both teachers is the best.
But, I wouldn't pay 200,000 yen to pass the EIKEN!
Sorry!!

Day by Day

I have been wondering the same thing for ages.
But...how can I make time for study???
Recently, I have tried to study French, English listening, and English reading & vocabulary, for 20 minutes each.
All of them takes just one hour. However, it's pretty hard for me to yield one-hour-sticking-in-front-of-the-desk time EVERYDAY.

Today, I did some household chores, went to the French class & glossary shopping.
I watched one movie with my hubby during dinner, took a bath... The day has gone quickly even though it's my day off!

But what if I become desperate to keep my "platform" & study for one hour from now on?? I'm sure I will be asleep at the EIKEN seminar, tomorrow's morning!

While I was thinking about this, I suddenly noticed my neck pain had gone.
I don't recognize when it stopped, but maybe after hearing sadistic doctor said, "it's not a big deal," maybe I didn't care about my neck pain.

Health is like the "air."
We don't care there is the air around us all the time, but if it is in danger...
We would be in panic!
Now, the "air" comes to me normally, so I started not to care it again.

Let me see... "The neck pain has gone" means..."I'm completely healthy, but I can't concentrate on studying!"
???

Missing

When I got up in the morning, I noticed.
They were gone.
Where did they go? I looked for, but I couldn't find them.
Why? Did I do something wrong with them? I didn't know!!!
They were really important to me. I was so upset...

"They" are parts of my eyelashes!
Not natural ones(If so, that would be bigger issue!!), but artificial ones.
Since I got extension on my eyelashes, I knew my "new" eyelashes sometimes shed.
But this time, several parts from the outer corner of my left eye were gone when I woke up!
Did I rub my left eye when I was sleeping?? Could be...nobody knows!!

Anyway, how should I do on my make-up from tomorrow??
Girls have many worries...

Move me

In this blog, I seem like to be preoccupied with my job.
In the reality, I'm just a part-time worker who doesn't work longer & doesn't get paid very much.
However, having a (or a few) technical job that I can help people is very important for me.
Wherever I live, whether I'm married or single, I want to keep a job that "moves" me.

Every time I do the teacher's job, I'm moved by something.
I hope this blog becomes a record of the moving sequence and hopefully, a lead to make me grow as a person.
Today, I was moved (mostly) by the two things.

First, my private student, Ryuichiro.
He is 16 years old who wants to pass the second grade of EIKEN.
He wants? Maybe, his mother wants.
Contrast to his mother's enthusiasm, Ryuichiro himself didn't work hard.
However, today, I felt he was really serious in the class.
He was taking a note almost every word I said. He asked questions a lot, and tried to analyse when he missed some questions.

While he talked with Toshi, our head teacher, I praised Ryuichiro a lot.
Later, Toshi said to me, "His brother just passed EIKEN, so his mother didn't praise him. But you gave nice comments to him, so he was REALLY glad!"
I was wondering how to motivate him... But now he's motivated!!
He believes he can pass the EIKEN if he "trusts" "my lessons."
I felt my responsibilities, but also I was glad that Ryuichiro finally opened his mind to me.

Second, Toshi's text message.
After 20 minutes I left the school, I found a text message on my cell from Toshi.
He wrote, "Thank you very very much for your follow-up for Ryuichiro!
He looked VERY glad to hear your nice comments. Now he is really eager to learn at our school! Also, thank you for talking with Emi for a long time even rhough after your work was over. You're always nice to our students even though to whom you are not in charge of. That makes our school's atmosphere very good. We always need you!"
What I'm impressed by Toshi and Rie(our manager) is they always mention how I work hard and how that helps to school (on that day), when I leave the school.
When other stuff leaves school, they do the same thing to him/her.
Toshi and Rie are very busy to manage the school, but they always are very thoughtful! I want to be like them, someday...

Oh, by the way, Toshi, who always gives me nice comments about my fashion, said, "I can recognize which celebrity had a plastic surgery, and where they get "renewal!"
...Who is he?...

Boys are...

I've noticed the difference. And, that was significant to me.

In my 4-5 years old kids' class, Mamoru and Takuya, have changed gradually.
They are still wild, but they changed from "resistantly wild" to "obediently wild."

The two boys were real handfuls.
In the class, they were kicking, tackling each other, tugging my hair or bow, and flipping my skirt. They were screaming, trying to get out of the classroom often, breaking my props... Their class was not "a class," it was "a zoo." I was so sick and tired of them, that I made "emergency calls" to the head quarters to beg some advice.

...However, lately, I think I got some strategies of them. Also, maybe we have been making a rapport.

Today, once they came to the school and looked my eyes, they started to run & rushed into the classroom. They tried to lock me out as usual.
But I showed them a paper balloon (which I got it from a 100 yen shop) from the small window. Mamoru said, "Look! Keiko sensei brings a new toy!"
Then, they opened the door. EASY!!

During the class, they lost concentration soon.
I picked some animal magnets as their points, and made them compete by physical games.
They immediately opened their eyes, and repeated English sentences after me.
EASY!!

At the "checking" time, Mamoru denied to take his textbook out.
I asked him why, then he said," Takuya will tear my book!"
Okay, sometimes it happens, but...
I took his hands, looked into his eyes, and said.
"Mamoru, but Takuya forgave you when you snapped his pencils. He is your kind friend! He won't tear your book unless you tear his book into pieces. OK?"
Then, Mamoru said, "OK!" and took his book out from his bag.
EASY!!

Actually, other boys have also changed. Yuta, my private student who is 15 years old, looked disobedient to me...
But today, Toshi said, "I talked with Yuta's mom. She said he really like coming here.
When he did some bad things, once the mother said, "I won't let you go to the English school!" He says, "Please don't!" And follow what the mom says!"
Really?? Why??

Another boy, Takeru, 18 year old high school boy, looked unsatisfied with my "Sparta" lesson. But Rie said, "You know, Takuya said to me, he liked your challenging lesson!"

...Boys are still mysterious to me...but, cute!!

Make Haste Slowly

I have been suffering my neck pain more than one month.
Especially, it made me really tired on the training day, last Saturday.
So, I decided to go to the orthopedics.

The conclusion is "my neck pain is not a big deal."
The doctor, who looks like Osaka governor Mr. Hashimoto, said to me frankly.
"Accoding to the manipulation & CT, I don't think you have a serious problem.
Just one thing... Your neck bone is especially slender! ("Slender" sounds flattering, but "your bone is slender" sounds fragile in an unhealthy way!) And your neck bone's arrangement is not perfect... I think your posture is not good.
You can be careful about your posture especially when you use the computer, and do exercise! Having over-the-counter aspirins is not bad. They are weaker than prescribed aspirins. If the over-the-counter aspirins ease your neck pain, it means your pain is not so severe. Take your time! You'll be fine."

Actually, the doctor seemed strict because he didn't allow me to ask questions...
But he was very frank, so I believed him.

After I got home, I wanted to go out to attend the Toastmasters meeting, finally.
But I didn't. I had a mild fever!
I wanted to visit the Toastmasters' meeting because it is what I want since I came back to Japan. However, I decided to "make haste slowly."
I don't know when my condition will be perfect, but I'll wait the time as well as the coming of the spring.

Good night!!

Reasons of Love

I ain't embarrassed to say.
I have been loving my hubby, and I always feel grateful to have him.
He is funny, cute, and reliable guy.
He pretends to be a self-centered child in front of me.
But for real, he always puts me first.

When I go to work, I usually text him what I prepare for dinner because I go back home later than him.
This morning, on the way to the school, I typed this message to him.
"Today's main dish is dipped tuna bowl. In the rice cooker, rice is ready just for one person. it's fine! Because I will eat the left over rice. You can eat the brand-new rice! Oh, I didn't have time to take out the trash. There are several bags of trash in the entrance. Sorry! Don't mind them. I'll take care of them after I got home!"

...However, when I got home, I found he took out all of trash bags, and HE ate the left over rice!
"Oh, you don't have to!"
He said, "it's OK! I'm a good boy!" and smiled.

I was worn out because of some difficult students.
But when I saw his gentle behaviour, my fatigue was gone.
I said to him, "Thank you very much! I have tended to get tired soon lately, so I appreciate your help!"
I wanted him to comfort me, like "Oh, I'm sorry, dear! You get tired lately? That's because of your neck pain! Poor, kid!"
However, he was saying, "Oh, I'm sorry, dear! You have a menopausal disorder? Poor, girl!"

...Another reason I love you is you always make punch lines of conversations, boy...
What? You were not kidding!?

Unproductive Day

I woke up 12:00pm. I was supposed to have slept enough, but it was hard to get out from the bed.
I had lunch( practically branch,) and studied for EIKEN for an hour.
But I couldn't stop drowsiness, so I took a nap for an hour.
After dinner, I started to study French. After half an hour, I was caught by the "drowsiness" again.
Then, I took a nap for half an hour...

See? That was my day, today!
I studied a little, but I took a nap the same amount of time!

I know this persistent drowsiness comes from aspirins I have been taking.
I should have proper treatment for my stiff neck.
I know it, but I'm kind of sad right now.

When I was surfing on the Internet, I found one blog.
The blogger is an English teacher & homemaker like me.
The difference between us was she passed the first grade of EIKEN.
She said "I thought I would study when I don't work or household chores. But I reconsider it. I determined my study comes first. When I don't study, I work and do household chores" in her blog.

Her philosophy blew my mind.
If I didn't change my normal life, I would stay to be a normal person.
If I want to be a special( I mean, if I want to make my dreams come true,) I should have a "special" life style.

How can I change?
...Let me think about tomorrow!! The drowsiness is attacking me, again...
Maybe it is VERY hard for me to change my life style...

Valentine Training

Even though today is one of the romantic days in a year, I went to Omiya to have a training at my school. The meeting time was 10:00 at Omiya station. That was pretty early for me...
The training was eight hours long.
It was an intense training. The structure of our group lesson will change, so I could learn beforehand.

I also met my nice co-workers teachers, so it was a good day...
But, my neck has still been stiff!!
I can't stop taking aspirins everyday. That made me tired!!
I should see a doctor...

How to deal with people you dislike

I think I will show you "the dark side" of me today.
So, if you are uncomfortable with it, please skip this article!!

Fortunately, I don't have "dislike people" around me right now.
When I live in Tokyo ( I mean, the same as before I went to America,) fortunately I don't have them.
It's because, maybe I can choose where I want to stay (the company, friends, etc) in Tokyo.
However, when I was in Sapporo and America, I had several.
I had to work with them, or socialize with them.
I haven't kept in touch with most of them( because I don't want,) but some of them haven't noticed the fact "I dislike them." (Don't worry! They don't read my blog!)

A few days ago, I got a letter from one of them. It was a looong one.
When I was reading it, the bright side of me was saying to me," It's nice of her that she wrote a long letter to me! Wow, she is completely happy now! Let's celebrate her!"
But, the dark side of me was saying, "Please forget me! I'm not interested in how you are doing! I don't want you write back!"
Yes, I AM MEAN!!

...But I ain't mean enough not to be happy for a person who is innocent.
I don't think she is a bad person, but she is just "rude."
It's unfortunate of her not to know how to communicate with people.
It's unfortunate of me not to forget what she did to me.

Again, the bright side of me is saying, "What a mean person I am! Oh God, please make me a generous person! I have to forgive her!!"
But, the dark side of me is saying," You know, she is not a child! She would have had chances to learn not to be rude, but she didn't. That's her fault! You don't have to be generous to such people!!"

I know I should listen to the "bright side of me" because the bad feeling yields nothing.
Tomorrow, I will meet "many of" my colleagues.
All of my colleagues (so far) are actually "my type."
They are nice, humble, friendly, good listeners, and not "KY." ( I think I am an exception!)
I really need to meet them to send "my dark side of me" away!!!

Plan B

I should have been careful.
I should have been careful when I was said,"Keiko sensei! Toshi sensei told you could use this textbook!" by Rie.

Today, I had a non-regular class. Instead of my private lesson to Tomohiro, I would provide a lesson to Hiromichi, who was Tomohiro's brother.
The family was like our VIP. All of the family members are our students.
Especially, Hiromich has been a Toshi's student for seven years.
Hiromich just passed the writing test of EIKEN second grade, so his mother asked me to have a preparation lesson for EIKEN interview test.

When I arrived at the school today, Rie gave me a book for it.
So, I prepared for the lesson...
However, when the class started, Hiromichi said, "I did this material with Toshi sensei!"
WHAT!? Toshi sensei gave me the same material just he did!?

Actually, it happens sometimes... I experienced that.
Sometimes I am asked to be a substitute of busy Toshi.
Toshi always says, "Don't worry! It's piece of cake for you! You just have to do these materials!"
...But most of cases, the sections where he told me are different.
Toshi is a genius and an experience teacher. So, he always doesn't prepare for classes much, and actually he doesn't need to do it because his English is just like a native speaker.
...But in my case...I need to prepare a lot!!

But maybe unconsciously, I prepared the "plan B."
I had already bought "my" preparation book for the second grade of the EIKEN.
That's because of Tomohiro, who has been taking my private class to pass it.
I prepared some interview materials, so, today, accidentally I used "my" materials.
So, I made a narrow escape!!

As an experienced teacher, I should always prepare for plan B, or even plan C or D.
It takes time, but maybe I need...
Even that's a lot of work!!

Energy for...

My biggest problem as a teacher has been..."I don't study for myself very much!"
I prepare for classes. I try to study English, but most of my study is "juggling."
While I am cooking, commuting, cleaning, I am listening CD or English educational TV programs, and sometimes take notes...something like that.
I know I should sit in front of the desk and concentrate on studying more, but since I started to work, I just don't have time.
But I know it's my excuse.
I have two big resolutions this year. To reach my goals, I should change my life style!

Today was a national holiday.
My hubby had been sleeping in the whole morning, so I tried to "sit in front of the desk" and studied. I did it for a few hours.
In the afternoon, I did things around the house.

At night, after the dinner...I can't stop my drowsiness!
I slept without a notice on the sofa for one and a half hour...
I just did study for a few hours, but my energy was almost burned out!
I want to believe it was because the allergy medicine I took in the afternoon...
Maybe, I need to build my stamina before I study??

One Year Later

Exactly one year ago on today, my hubby and I arrived in Japan from the United States where we had lived for four years and a half.

We were looking forward to coming back to Japan until a two months before we actually came back. After then, our excitement became more anxious about...our new living place, my hubby's new department, my working life, etc, etc.
Especially...our living place!
Before we went to America, we used to live near Kitijyoji. We believed we could go back to the apartment, but the company allocated us to another apartment, which was much smaller, older, and farther from the heart or Tokyo.

On February 10th, we checked in the hotel near our "allocated" apartment.
We went out to eat, but... We were kind or "disappointed" by the circumstance around there. The place was just different from KIchijyoji.

We knew we shouldn't take the "company's apartment" for granted. I know some people are still living there, but the place was just terrible for us.
It was noisy (we could hear the various noise from the supermarket downstairs,) small, and old.
On the way from the apartment when we visited there first, we just followed a salesman of new condo who just distributed flayers...
Our journey of "finding our nice condo" just started the next day of our arrival, and now, we are living here.

The time has flied. I can't believe one year passed from then!!
I thought we went back to the Tokyo life we had before, but we changed our house, my hubby has worked for the different department, and I changed my job from an emcee to a teacher.
The things that hasn't changed are friendship from our friends, and affection from our family...especially, from my parents-in-law and my parents.
We shouldn't take them for granted!
The most important things for me are my family, and my health & my beloved family's health.
Some people say, "the older you get, the more you feel time goes quickly."
I think it is true.
In the circle of "flying" time, I should cherish my hubby and family more, and keep it on my mind..."Everything has the pros and cons, even though the happening seems not good for me." And, I want to seek how to help people by using what I have been working.

Yes, everything has the pros and cons...even the "terrible" apartment where we lived!
The rent was just 7,000 yen!!
Maybe we shouldn't complain about the apartment, if we thought about the bargain rent...

Clean the air

Yesterday, finally, we got the one.
That one is...the air cleaner!
This winter has been terrible to us. I got a cold three times, and when I recovered, my hubby got the bad one. When he got almost over it, I caught it again...
It's like the "never ending story!!"
My hubby had been marketing research, and yesterday, he decided to get the air conditioner that is also a humidifier.

However, when we went to an appliance shop, the familiar air cleaners had been already gone. Why? because they are so popular!
Lately, we've been seeing the TV commercials of air cleaners almost everyday.
My hubby believes (almost jokingly) we could be "completely" healthy if we get the air cleaner. The TV commercials has made us believed so!!
Anyway, we visited a few appliance shops, and eventually we found the one which arrived "just special."

My hubby looked very happy.
"Yeah! Finally, we could become COMPLETELY healthy! We won't have a cold anymore!!"
Are TV commercials so persuading or is just my hubby quite easy to believe???

Actiually, since my hubby has set the air cleaner, he has been watching "it" always.
The machine has so many buttons.
If the room has a smell, house dust or something, it tells us what are there in the air, and tries to clean them. It could be interesting to him! But things has been more advanced...

My hubby exhaled to the machine, and said.
"Look! She (the air cleaner) doesn't show the "smell" sign! I don't have a bad breath!!"
Then, I coincidentally stood up, and got closer to the air cleaner.
My hubby said, "Look! When you get closer to her, she shows "smell" and "house dust" sign! You are DIRTY!!"
When I was cooking, he was still looking at the air cleaner and said,
"Look! She shows the "smell" sign, and the sign became "the maximum smell!
You think Keiko smells a lot, don't you? I agree with you!!" He talked to the machine...

...Is the air cleaner his toy or his friend? I just hope it "works" well...

French Fashionista

I learn French twice a month.
The teacher is a French lady who have been teaching French at a university.
She has lived in Japan for thirty years, so we can ask her complicated French grammar in Japanese!
She is like the "French version of " Sally, who was my tutor in America & my eternal role model. The French teacher, Nicole, also is sophisticated, graceful, thoughtful, and very professional. And...fashionable!

After today's lesson, Nicole noticed my tights. I was wearing bright pink tights which went on my sweater. I enjoyed wearing the one that is not suitable at my work.
She asked me, "Cute tights! Where can you get them?"
I said," At department stores! You can get any color items there!"
She was surprised, "Really! I haven't been to department stores for awhile..."
I was wondering, "So, where do you shop? You always wear clothes with good qualities!!"
She smiled, "Well, I haven't shopped lately... For example, I have been wearing this coat for 15 years. This is Fendy one, which is my favorite brand. I wanted to reform it, so actually I added this fur last week!"

My classmate and I were stunned.
"Did you do it by yourself!? It's fantastic!"
Her "reborn" coat had nice fur on collar and sleeves.
Nicole looked glad, "Yes, I did. I ordered this antique fur, and hansewed it on my coat. It was fun!"

I thought, "Wow!" I haven't worn the same coat for 15 years...
But she is doing it! She rarely shops, but she gets a high-class clothes very sometimes.
I heard French people love fashion, but don't shop a lot.
She is the typical one!
How about me? I love fashion, but...
I should learn her style!!

Change me dramatically, but not too much

I visited a hair stylist who have done my hairdo for eight years (oh, we have an interval of almost five years when I was in America!)
Whenever he asks me, "How do you want to change your hairstyle today?"
I says, "well... I don't know. I want to change dramatically, but not too much."

...I think it's a difficult comment for hair stylists.
But don't you understand my feeling?
Every girl and woman want to find new looks which suit them. But many Japanese girls are conservative. Also, as we gets older, we tend to be obsessed with our own styles more.

He understands me who don't want to my hairstyle basically.
So, he suggests my having highlights when he dyed my hair.

...And, I have contradictions as well as mamy girls...
I always says, "not too much." But I think I love doing something too much!
For example, I always buy food too much, my clothes have frills too much...
I love to have "too much," I guess!
So, when the stylist finished my hairdo, I said.
"Oh, there's not much difference from before..."
Then he said, "Yes. Because I did exactly what you said!
Oh, by the way, I think you always curl your hair TOO MUCH."
I see... I agree with him!!

After that, I went to another saloon.
That is an eyelash saloon where I have gotten eyelash perm a few times!
This time, I took a courage to get a new look.
I asked to have eyelash extension!
Eyelash extension means pasting fake eyelashes to get longer eyelashes.
Some of my friend have done it, and I thought I might get a dolly look like them!

I had a counselling with my "eyelash" stylist.
She said, "How would you want to look? Dolly & curly, or natural & straight?"
Ummm...again, difficult question for me!
I said a subtle answer again. "Well...dolly, but natural look, please!"

After one hour, my would be "dolly but natural" eyelash extension was completed.
I looked a mirror, then I said...
"Oh! That's much difference, isn't it!???"
The stylist said, "Yeah. That's what you said!"

It's always difficult to tell what I want to look to professionals...
But I enjoy getting "a small change" on my looks!
Or maybe next time, my eyelash might have more "too much" extension, baby...

Babble Mouth

When I met my friend of high school days a few days ago, she said to me.
"Did you speak so fast before? I don't think you did."
Really!? The last time I met her was almost seven years ago.
That time, I was an emcee. So, I tried to speak clearly & slowly.

But now, I am an English teacher.
When I don't have much time in a class, I noticed I was talking quickly.
And when I was teaching EIKEN or TOEIC, my language is kind of "mixed" of English and Japanese. Then, sometimes it's hard to switch my language muscle.
So, I stuttered sometimes. I spoke the sentence once again, then my talking becomes fast naturally because I am afraid I can't finish that day's unit.

However, the important thing is having variations.
I have to let my students know which is important part, and which is just explanation depends on my ways of talking.
I should record my classes & "audit" them objectively.
Ummm...there are so many things to be a "real pro!!"

Real or unreal

I meet kids every week since I started to teach English, but still, they've been "mysterious" to me.
Especially, Makoto and Takuya, in my 4-5 years old class!!
They are always kicking each other, running in the classroom, or trying out from the room.
However, today, a thing happened that made me felt, "Yeah! I caught them!!"

While they were screaming as usual in the class, they noticed the unusual sound.
One of the fluorescent lights almost run down, so it made a buzz.
When they heard it, they shouted.
"Keiko sensei! It's a spaceman! The spaceman is signaling!! Scary!!"
They hid behind me.

I hit on an idea.
I said, "Yes, exactly! The SPACEMAN is watching YOU!! If you don't study English here, they will appear soon! Do you understand?"
They were still shivering and nodded. "We got it!"

"Good boys! Let's sing, Head, shoulders, knees and toes!"
Usually, they ignored me and kicked each other when I sang the unit song.
However, today, they watched my gestures seriously, and sang out loud!
After we finished the song, the buss sound became slower because it was finally about to run out. Then. they shouted again.
"Listen! Keiko sensei!! Isn't he applauding??"
I pretended to be surprised, exaggeratedly.
"Yes, he is! Wow! It's the first time! Because you sang the song very well, he is applauding to you! Good job, Makota and Takuya! You are so special!!"
They looked very glad. "Yeah!! We are so special!!"
...Until the class was over, they were like different boys as usual because of the "spaceman's effect."

After the class, I told them in front of their mothers.
"The spaceman was watching us today! But you did a great work, so he was applauding to you, wasn't he!?"
...Then, the kids said.
"Yeah! Or, you have been using the electricity too much, haven't you?"

...What!? They had said very unrealistic thing, but suddenly they became so realistic!! Did they pretend to adjust me???
They are still mystery...

Caution!

Today, I met a friend of my high school days after an interval of six? years.
I visited her nice condo which was located "in front of " Tsukisima station.
I had a great time with her and her lovely son... But... I felt I was really tired!
This week, my schedule has been just packed and it's the middle season of the flu & cold... So, caution!

...I have to get up early tomorrow, but I stayed up late again!
I'll go to the bed immediately.
Sorry for today's not-interesting-at-all article!!

You also take care!!

Fashion Commentator

This morning, I rushed into the office. When I set my time recorder on the computer, the head teacher, Toshi, cast a pleasant voice.
"Keiko sensei, you are wearing the hair accessory that Rie gave you as a birthday present! It suits you perfectly!"

Then, we started a business meeting. I placed my new pen with lots of crystals (of course they are fake!!)on the desk, then, Toshi was surprised and said..."Wow! This pen is fantastic! It seems you, Keiko sensei! It's sophisticated & sparkling!!"

...Can't you believe him?
Toshi is a guy who are in his early 30's. He can always "notice" my new hair accessories, blouses, or even pens!!
Don't take it wrong! "Of course" he isn't flirting with me!!
He is always doing it, to anybody! All of our stuff & students.
Everyday he says, "Oh, your suit is new! I like it!"
"Your coat is just gorgeous! It looks warm, and has high qualities!"
"You got a hair cut? It looks nice!!" etc, etc...

Even to kids.
"Wow, Mai, you have several cute bears on your T-shirt! They are so cute like you!
I know you like bears! I like bears, too!!"
"Yuta, your pants look so exclusive! I like those materials! They are very unique!
You always look good on anything!! You are a handsome boy!!" etc, etc...

I think this is one of his philosophies.
He knows we(teachers) have to be great communicators. But we shouldn't ask them about their private matters persistently. Also, if we always talk about English study things, that's also too much for some students. Especially, when we talked with students who are not "my" students, we don't have specific information about them.
"Making nice comments on their fashion" is always a good way to communicate!

Even to kids. If we keep saying something nice about their fashion, they are gradually getting "obedient" to us. Because? everybody wants to be praised!!
Of course we always try to praise them about their hard working.
But before we start the English lessons, "making nice comments about fashion" becomes great lubricant to anybody.

Toshi was a cameraman who took pictures of people. He had to open their minds quickly. Then, he praised something about their fashion. he said.
I think it's a clue why he can always achieve "the desirable sale figure" of our school.
When he tries to convince some students, most of them took the lessons or study materials he recommeds!
That is not only reason, though...

Today, I was so impressed by Toshi, so I said.
"How amazing you always notice our new fashion!"
He smiled scenically.
"Yeah! And actually, I'm a very bitter critic about fashion!"

Really?? What is he thinking in his mind??
...Scary!!

Hammock Cafe

Have you ever watched the new 007 movie, quantum of solace ?http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809961074/info
I watched it today! However, my hubby and I totally forgot today was the movie discount day. Every first day of the mouth, everyone can watch a movie for 1,000 yen! In Japan, usually it costs 1,800 yen for an adult to watch a movie.
Yes, that's big difference!! We tried to avoid the crowd. So, we didn't go to the new movie complex in Shinjuku. We went to another one which is a little bit far from the Shinjuku station. That was wald 9.http://wald9.com/index.html
But it was also a very nice building & the most crowded day of the month, so we had to wait for 3 hours to watch it!

...However, we found a very comfortable place. It was...a hammock cafe!!
The cafe is upstairs of the movie complex. The cafe is usually just a "regular" one, but from the end of January to the beginning of March, the care have been collaborating with a hammock maker and a new movie. I couldn't find the cafe's website, but here is another hammock cafe's scenery.
http://www.because.ne.jp/ms/item49_247.html

I was tired because I went to the EIKEN listening seminar in the early morning, and my hubby was also tired. So, while we were waiting for the movie, we actually "took a nap" on the hammocks!
That was really cozy! It was like a "oasis" in a desert...

I hope hammock cafes are going to VERY popular in Tokyo!
If it becomes true, many people would stay there longer, sleeping like us...