No pain, no gain

Since Wednesday, I've got a cold and I know why I caught it.
1. I've had a chill for a week...it might be still cold outside, but I wanted to wear spring shoes and clothes... I think I've repeated the same mistake since I was very young!
2. One shocking (a little bit) happening occurred to me, so I was disappointed (a bit.)

I've had a medical treatment since last summer.
I was supposed to have my next operation(a VERY casual one!) next week, but it was postponed. I don't want to explain why in this blog, but it made me think a lot how to communicate with my doctor and nurses.
This postponement could be due to my carelessness and the hospital's inflexibility.
It was not a big deal, but I thought I have to think about my passive attitude for my treatment.
I (and maybe other most Japanese patients, too) tend to "leave everything to professionals."
It's OK in some cases, but...in the cases taking a loooong period like this case... I should try to communicate more with the professionals.

Like many of you, I learned a lot from the present winter Olympic athletes, especially, two top female figure skaters, Kim Yu-na and Mao Asada. For example,
1. Kim's one of philosophies is "No pain, no gain."
I was disappointed with my miscommunication with hospital, but I should learn something from it!
2. When Mao cried at the interview after the performance, one announcer said, "This is her strength. She accepted her defeat first, not celebrating the second place. The athletes who can accept their defeat can be strong more and more.
I want to give up when I can't get a good result, but the most important thing is not always the result. To analyze why I can't make it, to cherish my effort for it...there should be many things to learn when I try to do something.
3. Before the competition, Kim said, "who is gonna win? That depends on God's wheel. I don't say I'm ready to win, but I'm ready to accept any result, even if the worst one."
One of my philosophies is the same as her.
"We can do what is humanly possible and leave the rest to fate."
It's easy to SAY so, but I can imagine it's very hard for top athletes to believe so.
I just guess the words tell us why she didn't lose by her pressure, and the many experiences of defeat made her so strong.

...Anyway, since I started to take cold medicine, the awful rush has appeared again on my skin!
In my case, "no medicine, no rush???"
Can I "gain" anything from this "pain," no, "itch??"

Between Victory and Defeat

After enjoyable & relaxing lunch with Mayumi at the butler's cafe(do I visit there too much??,) I went to the In-house speech contest of the Toastmasters.

Three years ago, when I became a contestant of Toastmasters speech contest in America, I kept winning, and went to the mid-west contest. However, today...I was eliminated at the first preliminary contest. I was the third place out of four contestants!

Frankly speaking, I didn't expect that. I'm not a very confident person, but as for this In-house speech contest, there had been only me who raised hands to be a contestant.
I needed some speakers to compete, so officers pushed some members to be contestants, so they decided to be at the last minute.

I prepared more than other contestants (maybe,) but the winner was not me.
Isn't it miserable?I mustered my courage to listen to my speech on my IC recorder.
Then, I understood why I didn't win.
I spoke too fast because I was nervous at the contest's atmosphere...so, it was hard to catch up some points.
My script didn't enough to convey my main message.
I knew personal stories and strong universal messages are the most important at the speech contest, but I think I failed the two points.

I felt tired to go to the social hour that we always do after meetings, but I went out.
When I felt my speech was not successful, I'm forced to talk with members because I want to listen to their advise.
Members were so kind that they said,"Your speech was really good. But the best speaker is not always supposed to win by the current judging system."
"I know you are very good at delivering, but there were many new judges, and they didn't know exactly how to judge."

...I was reminded of winter Olympic games.
I've heard many stories from winners and losers. I know, the result is not everything.
Some of the losers are satisfied with themselves regardless the result.

But, what are there between victory and defeat? What makes them winners and losers?
I seldom think about that (athletes always do,) but it was a great experience for me to have an opportunity to think about that.

What a long day!

I left home at 8:30 in the morning to go to hospital, then went to work, and came back home at 11:30pm. What a long day today!

My last class was supposed to be over at 8:00pm. But I had to give calls to some parents. I talked with parents of my Korean student (a 7 year-old boy) about how he should do to improve his English. After that, I discussed with my head teacher & area head teacher about my clients, and did some chores...
Tomorrow is my speech contest day, so I wanted to go home early.
But just coincidentally, many things came to me on tonight!

By the way, the call with the Korean parents took 40 minutes. What a long CALL!!

You're too kind!

It was a pleasant winter day, today.
My hubby went out to visit the "Golf Fair" in Ariake, and I stayed home to do some household chores and practice my speech for the upcoming speech contest.

When he came back home, he got a "booty" at the fair...a golf club. Not for him, but for me!
He said when I used the same club in Maui(I rented the club,) my score was good.
Good? Yeah, BETTER! My score was...140 or something? But as you know, I have to PRACTICE first to get a "normal" score!! I'm not worth for the new golf club!

He is too kind...

Time for future & Wish List

According to an issue "Good-bye, busy-lazy me" of the magazine, "President," successful people make time to "think about their future" every day.
Even the time is just 2 minutes, they form their blueprints of "brilliant future" in the time, and they make actions for it.

So, I tried to think about my future...but unlike those successful people's hopeful blueprints, I couldn't stop thinking about "fear" of my future!
"I'm not a mom, nor a career woman... Will I be nobody and just get older???"
"How about my pension! Can I get enough pension when I become quite old? What should I do???"
...Well, to prevent the fear, I should make the time to think my "brilliant future," and make actions for it!

"Wish list" means a wish list "to do" in your life. Yes, a kind of "dream list."
I had an same idea. Not "to do" list, but a "wish list TO BE."
I thought it would be good to make a list what kind of person I want to BE, and see the list every day...
But I just haven't done that. "just haven't done" and "just do it" are big difference between successful people and lazy, non-effective people like me...

Spirit

Tonight,I took my friend Masami to go for a drink to my favorite place-the Butlers' Cafe, In Shibuya.

It has been a half year since I paid a visit there last time, so there have been a big turnover... But the butler who I was always impressed was still there. He is Francis, a Russian.

In contrast to new butlers who hesitated to talk to us, didn't notice our glasses were empty...
Francis was very thoughtful, careful, cheerful, and having full of topics to talk to.
I like people who put their spirits into their work, like Francis. I can see he tries to entertain his clients, from the bottom of his heart. Regardless which job they are engaged, I feel very happy when I meet such people.

...In addition...as you know, we saw the "athletes' spirits" today, right?
At men's figure skating at Vancouver Olympics, Daisuke Takahashi got the bronze medal!
I found an interesting article.
http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/vancouver/figure_skating/news?slug=es-thoughts021810&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
Three-time world champion & two-time silver medalist, Evan Stojko, wrote this article.
He criticized today's gold medalist, Evan Lysacek, for not taking risk. Also he said Daisuke Takahashi was "awesome" because he tried the quad and he had a gut to go for it. He even said, Diasuke should've been ahead of Lysacek! Moreover, he said, Takahiko Kozuka didn't get points he deserved and he was "great."
The judging sports are sometimes controversy...but I was glad a famous professional had the same opinion as mine.

Spur on!

I really love reunions of my former clients.
Today, I had lunch with Atsuko. In her wedding, I was her wedding emcee!
We have contacted each other since her wedding, but we didn't have a chance to meet again.
Today was the day! We could finally have a reunion!!

When I saw her for the first time, I got "sparkle" on my mind. "She must be really nice! I would like to be her friend!" I thought so. Yes, she was "my type." She was thoughtful, a happy person, a professional career woman, and has a sense of humor.
Eight years have passed since we met the last time!but she hasn't changed at all, and we had a great time as if we have been close friends for a long time.
And I knew it would be so. I knew we could connect with...why? from her...attitude, words, etc.

These encounters have made me spurred on for a job. I want to meet people like her, and feel connections with them!!

...But after the nice lunch, I realized who I should spur on.
Kotaro, my private student! He is a high school boy who has taken my private lesson for a year and a half, but he hasn't improved his English...
How should I do that!? I really want to find a"sparkle" in him...

Growth

Since I watched Torino Olympics in America, I enjoy catching up Japanese athletes of this winter Olympics.
As far as I see...I'm amazed how some athletes have changed a lot since the last Olympics.

For instance, Daisuke Takahashi!
He looked a bit shallow boy, and his response of interviews were immature...
But now? He looks different! He became a resourceful mature guy!

I'm sorry for my favorite male figure skater, Brian Joubert, stepped out of his quad and finished 18th! But I'm looking forward to seeing the day after tomorrow, the male free program!!

Fighters

Every other year when I watch summer Olympics or winter Olympics, two major emotions occupy my mind.
1.Excitement.
2.Repentance.
No1 is what you already know. As you are, I'm excited about top athletes' performance.
No2 is...even I feel very excited or discouraged by the game results, I watch their games, only at the time of Olympics. The athletes compete every year at the World Cup or other international games...but I just become glad or sad about the results of Olympics.

However, this year, the third emotion was coming out of my mind.
The silver medalist of speed skating men's 500m, Keiichiro Nagashima said, "I really wanted to WIN. I wouldn't care even if I broke my feet to win, I thought."
The bronze medalist, Joji Kato also felt shame. "I was about to win, I thought. It was really regrettable that I ended up at the third place."

I, and many Japanese were excited about the fact "two Japanese got medals from the same event." But the athletes' stance was "to win or to lose. There are just two options."

I don't know if you feel a connection the Japenese medalists' words and the following line from a movie , but I was reminded of the movie, "Revolutionary Road."
In the movie, one young business man who felt stuck with his ordinary countryside life( acted by Leonald DiCaprio) said to his wife(acted by Kate Winslet.)
"I want to feel the things again. When I felt "I'm alive!" was...the time I was at the front line in the war. First, I was terrified like other soldiers, but after awhile, the excitement welled up from me. To kill or to be killed. At the ultimate intense situation, I felt "this is it! This is what I wanted to feel! I'm ALIVE!!"

I know in some areas in the world, unfortunately still some conflicts have been going on.
But many young, healthy, strong, indomitable athletes can compete not in the battle field, but in the athletic field now. Not to kill or be killed, but to win or lose.

After she ended up at the fourth place in the Olympics, a female mogul athlete, Aiko Uemura sent a text message to her mother.
"I feel grateful that I am ALIVE in this era. Thank you very much for giving the birth to me."
She is one of a few young top athletes who always feels the grace of peace, I thought.

Appearance Importance

When I was doing some chores at the office, our assistant manager told me.
"Do you know Bob became a MODEL?"
...Bob is a MODEL now! I didn't know that!!

Bob is our former coworker.
The assistant manager said, "Bob made a contract exclusively to XXXX(a famous Italian apparel brand!). But not for an international ads, but for Japanese domestic ads, I heard."
I knew, he might be...
He was not a very tall guy like other international models, but he was like "an American sweetheart for Japanese girls."
He looked...a typical Western cute guy that many Japanese think of.

I think appearance is one of the importance of being a teacher.
I'm not like Bob, a natural beauty, but I try to look better. Most of my students are very generous, so they always make some comments about my fashion, make-up, or hairdos. I also try to make comments of their appearance (I mean, mostly fashion or some belongings)too, because that kind of conversation can be a lubricant to make a good rapport.

Yes, appearance is important...even though sometimes girls in my 7-8 year old class pull my hair accessory or necklace, and say, "Give your belt to me! Then, I might repeat your English!!"

...They ARE little gangsters!!!

3dimension? 2dimension??

On today's Valentine's Day, my hubby and I went see the movie which we had been looking forward. The movie was "Valentine's Day?"
NO! "AVATAR!!!"

We had heard a lot about "Three dimensional mind-blowing experience."
However, we, actually,...weren't impressed so much.
The movie was spectacular. But, in my hubby's case, the 3D glasses made him tired & uncomfortable.
In my case, I couldn't feel for the blue "avatars" very much. I understnd the director did a hard work to look them like human beings, but...maybe I just wanted to see real human beings' expressions.

Actually, what we had in our mind was, not the 3D world even while we were watching the movie, but the 2D vision that Aiko Uemura couldn't get a medal at the Olympics!! She did a great job. She did her best, but medal takers had more aggressiveness than her... It was a shame.

After the movie, another 2D got us. New cellular phone!!
We are docomo users. It was time to change our cell phones... I chose F-02B version, which was called "aroma phone."
http://www.nttdocomo.co.jp/product/foma/style/f02b/
The cell phone can scent my favorite perfume! It can be a pedometer! The camera of this phone has "beautiful skin"mode!!!
I was so into the 2D gadget, and almost forget about the 3D movie...

Am I an anachronism???

Hellelujah

Since last week, my favorite reality TV show, "American Idol" has started here in Japan!!
I've watched it every year from season...4?probably. When I was in America, I voted for my favorite contestants. Carrie Underwood, Katharine Mcphee, Jordin Sparks...
I loved male singers too, like Chris Daughtry or Adam Lambert, but I tend to sympathize with female singers.

This year, I've already found my favorite girl! She passed the audition in Boston.
Her name is Maddy Curtis. She is only 16, but she seems...mature. Sturdy.
She said she is 8th of 9 siblings. Her little brother has down syndrome, and she's always taking care of the brother. She said, "He doesn't see people with "color."(She meant, prejudice) I think we should do like him." Amazingly, her parents feel grateful that the down-syndrome boy has given great influence to the family, so they adopted two more down-syndrome kids!! That's...a kind of "America spirit" which I sometimes felt during my stay in America.

Anyway, Maddy sang "Hallelujah" popularized by Leonard Cohen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io2B1cAxLk4
The judges said, "You are just 16 years old, but you already know the SOUL on the song!" I totally agree with them!!!

Then, today, when I watched the opening ceremony of Vancouver Olympics, I met THE SOUL" of Hallelujah, again. Even maturer one!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_NpxTWbovE&feature=related
I couldn't find a good VCR of the exact stage of the opening ceremony...
But the song was same, and the singer was the same. Her name is K.D.Lang. The announcer said she was one of the most popular singers in Canada.

Is there any Japanese singer who can move people in the world so much like her??
I don't remember who was singing at the Nagano Olympics...
One of the culprits is language, I thought. Most people in the world can understand English, and "Hallelujah" is the word which makes people imagine "peace."
But, how many people can understand the meaning if we sing in Japanese?
The minority of Japanese makes hard to convey the song's message.
Should we learn English, or should we try to prevail Japanese into the world?
While I was watching the Olympics, I was wondering that...

The lyrics of Hallelujah: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEvJzvAsO20

Racist?

Some people just misunderstand us. "Us" means...English teachers.
Some people say, "You are an English teacher? So, you don't have to study English!"
...That's totally not true!! English is not our native language (for Japanese English teachers,) so we NEED TO brush up it every day.

I don't trust Japanese English teachers who say, "I don't have to learn English."
They are not hard workers. On the other hand, I respect native English teachers who say, "we don't get ELT(English Language Teaching) degree at university, so we need to learn how to study English!"

Anyway, I'm always looking for a good school or a teacher to improve in my English.
...But as many Japanese English teachers, I don't want to pay much money "to learn English" anymore because I've already paid that in America.

Recently, I've heard a lot about cheap English online schools. At the cheapest schools, the teachers are Filipinos. I thought, "Filipinos! If I get the Philippine accent, I feel sorry for MY students!!"
However, my Toastmaster friend, Yumi said, she had a Skype lesson every night with the Filipinos and it was really good to keep her English.

So, I had a trial lesson tonight.
Actually, the class...didn't work for me. I just...didn't get it. The teacher, a Filipino student, was a really nice girl. But...she was like "me." I mean, an imperfect English teacher who is embarrassed to talk with very-fluent English speakers. I asked her to correct my mistakes in my speech script. Some of her corrections made sense, but I was not sure about the other corrections.
It's very hard to make a rapport by Skpye lesson! Maybe we just didn't connect with, but I still feel, "I PREFER an American, English (I mean, from England), Canadian, or Australian teacher!
I know English is one of the public languages in Philippine...but...
AM I A RACIST???? I hope I ain't!!!

I know the best teacher for me, is Sally. My former tutor in America! She has EVERY certificate of teaching English, and she has an excellent personality. I know I can ask her to teach me by Skype.
But the problem is...I want to pay her by Japanese yen!

...Maybe I will "wander" to seek a way to learn English for while...
How long have I been doing that???

Acupancture and Moxibustion

I had got rash since October 2009, but recently, they seem to disappear. I've been run out of allergy medicine for a few days, but the rush doesn't seem to rebound on.

Why? I'm not sure, but...maybe, it's because of acupuncture and and moxibustion.
I've been "acupuncture and moxibustion clinic(what a long name!!)" just twice so far. But my acupuncturist said, acupuncture and moxibustion(what a long name, again!!) were VERY good way to excrete accumulated toxin in a body. Yes, like allergies!!

Today, I called my mom and told the story. She said, "acupuncture and moxibustion(what a long...I gave up!) have been a traditional oriental medicine. Your grand mother had an acupuncturist come home, and had treatment often. She had serious diabetes, so sometimes she even couldn't move...but after the treatment, she felt very good all the time!!"

Uhmmm...sounds very good!
My acupuncturist put skin-colored stickers on my foot and said, "They are your therapeutic spots. Have moxibustion on them every day!"
Therefore, I set fire moxibustion by a lighter, and put them on those spots almost every night.
Having seen me, surrounded by lots of smoke, my hubby said...
"You already look like a GRANDMA!!"
...I'm doing that, to become YOUNGER!!!

Coaching Skills

I've heard "I'll go to COUNSELLING" or "I need to have COUNSELLING" from words of mouth or TV dramas in America, but I don't remember I heard a lot about "coaching."
However, it seems to be getting common right now.

My friend, Mayumi, has had training as a "coaching professional" and I heard about the job today.
As she said,counselling is for people who tries to become "normal" or rather "active" from depressing situations. On the other hand, coaching is for people who are already "active," and help them to achieve their goals.
For examples, many managers, executives, or professional athletes have their own "coach" to strengthen their mentality.

That sounds like very positive job!
Since I moved back to Tokyo, I've been getting familiar with some "new" job (to me,) and which is very pleasant.
I don't know if I move again somewhere, but I'd like to enjoy living in Tokyo for awhile!!

Fallin' for you?

When I saw her at the first sight, I noticed my RADAR was on.
RADAR means..."Attractive Woman Radar!"

At today's Toastmasters' meeting, she was in the back row.
She had long beautiful brown hair, long eyelashes, and wore a professional business suit. She looked like one of my favorite actress, Keiko Kitagawa.

Sometimes my "attractive woman radar" comes on, but it's VERY rare.
I don't know how many times it has happened in my life...but not more than ten times, I guess. ( You want to say, "WHO CARES!??" Sorry!)
Most of those attractive women became my friends now!

My "definition" of an attractive woman is she has to be elegant, intelligent, beautiful, well-groomed, but friendly and humble. I LOVE to meet girls who make me encouraged, "I want to be like her!!!"

Actually, another my radar also went on when she started to speak in English.
Her English pronunciation was just "perfect!!!" I was sure she had lived abroad when she was a kid, so I asked her. But she said, "Oh, I've never lived abroad! My major was not English, I just studied it a little by myself."
My "talented language learner radar" told me, "Here she comes!!"
Some people have a gift for learning languages, especially, listening.
Therefore, they can "speak" as they "listen to!!"

However, surprisingly, she (her name turned out "Erica") said, "Once I met you, I was attracted by your appearance, your English, and the content of your comments! I hope we can talk more some other time!!"

Hooray!! My "fallin' love" is not "one-way," is it "two-way" already??
I'm looking forward how our friendship is going!!





....Caution:I'm not LESBIAN!!!

Types of obstacles to improve in...

Among my adult students, there are two types of students who don't improve in English very much.

1. Stubborn type.
Even I recommend good ways to improve in English, they say, "Oh, I don't have time to do that!" or "I just don't do that way." While obedient students get good results, the stubborn students still are at the same level...

2. Forgettable type.
I don't know why, but they (actually, only one in my students) don't remember what they learned two weeks ago. They might remember a week before class. But two weeks later, what they did became "nothing!"

I think the common point of two types are "they are VERY passive." They have their resolutions, but they don't try to think where they are,and what they should do to make their dreams come true.

Sorry for the pessimistic article! I've been teaching a year and a half for the same school, but a few of them still have "little" improved... ESPECIALLY, those who have to get a good result, at EIKEN or TOEIC.

However, they come to me because they don't know how they should!
I should customise some strategies for each student more and more. That must be very hard....but whenever I had difficult clients, I think I got great chances to "improve" myself as a professional.

Do my best for them! Then, there will be something worth appearing to me and themselves...

Time Chart

Yesterday, when I accompanied my hubby to a golf range, I browsed my favorite( I've been interested in it for a long time, but I've never bought it!) magazine, "President" when he practiced.
The back number's title was, "Good-bye busy-lazy me! How to use 24 hours effectively."
The issue showed me the results of surveys between "effective business people( whose annual income is over 15,000,000yen)" and "common people(whose annual income is around 5,000,000 yen)."

The results were really interesting...
For example, "effective people go to office one hour earlier than common people."
"Effective people use one hour in the morning to study for themselves,"etc, etc.
Among them, the one which caught me the most was,
"Effective people know how much time they consume for each task."

Then, I remembered one Japanese TV drama, "Rikon Bengoshi(Divorce Lawyer.)"
In the drama, the main character who was a hardworking lawyer (acted by Yuki Amami,) made "time chart." She colored how she used the time for each work, to know how much she consumed.
When I watched the drama (four years ago?) I thought it would be a good way even for me, to study effectively. But I had never tried!

Then, I started to make my own "time chart."
The color difference is the following;
Sleeping and meal: blue
Housework: navy
Beauty(hair& make, skincare, beauty saloon, etc):purple
Studying:pink
Family(date with my hubby, talk with my family, write letters to my family,etc):brown
Socializing:orange
Extracurricular activities(Toastmasters, French):gray
Work:light green
Hospital, health:green
Hobby:black

So, today? Actually, my time chart became almost all "navy!!"
After I woke up, I did the laundry, made lunch, ate lunch, dried the laundry, thought about cooking menu, folded the clothes, cooked dinner, ate dinner, cooked stock food for two days( I'll go out tomorrow and Tuesday, as well!) cleaning the house...
The only one I did for my study was "memorizing my next speech for the Toastmaster's speech contest." That was good, but...should I learn how to do housework effectively rather than learning English or French???????

I was a bit discouraged, and my hubby said...
"I guess your time chart today was A LOT OF BLUE!! You slept for a loooong time, right?"
Oh, right... I got up at 11:00 even thought I planned to get up at 8:00am!!
That is another culprit...

Daily French

"The best way to improve in a foreign language is USE the language as possible as you can. Speak, listen, read, write, and think in the language in your daily life!"
"If your language class is one-hour long, review, preview, and practice it for three hours. Your lesson won't be exactly worth unless you take the THIRD time of the lesson to prepare."
...They are what I keep saying to my students.

But I didn't follow what I say, if I speak about FRENCH.
I take French class every other week. However, between the lessons, I rarely studied French...so, at the next class, I forgot all of what I learned, and learned them again...
I took the fourth grade of French certificate, but that was the reason why I still can't speak in French!

So, I started to use French in my daily life.
For example, today, I asked my hubby...
"Tu as faim? Venez dejeuner! (Your are hungry? Come to lunch!)"
"Voila, ta tasse. (Here is your cup.) Voila, des cuilleres, des couteaux, et asseiettes... (Here are spoons, knives, and dishes...) Asseieds-toi!(Have a seat!)"
My hubby had no idea what I was saying, but he just "repeated" after me, making fun of me.

...Before I went out to go to French lesson, he gave the words to me,
"Good luck, Je t'aim!" (がんばってジュテ！)
...They sounded like French. Maybe it's the good way to learn a new language for the WHOLE family members???

Food Flood

I don't think I'm food-conscious like my mother. ...I thought so.

Today was my regular "beauty maintenance" day. I went to an eyelash saloon and a hair saloon at Kichijoji. When I go to Kichijoji, usually I hung out department stores and drug stores. However, today, I irregularly didn't stop by anywhere, and went back to Mitaka because I tried to save money...but, I was unexpectedly "trapped" in a supermarket.
Cheese, noodle, spring veggies, pickle... Lots of my favorite food!
Maybe, because I had VERY nice lunch at an organic vegetable restaurant "courage",
http://r.tabelog.com/tokyo/A1320/A132001/13048567/
my mind was filled with healthy food.

Then...I remembered when I moved back to Japan from America.
In America, we lived a big house, so our kitchen was large. Maybe, it was about ten-tatami spread, as I remembered... When we moved there, I realized I...stored too much food! It's just SO MUCH for two of us that I felt FOOD FLOOD attacked me! Why did I store so much food? I felt regret, and SWORE not to buy too much food, but get "prompt" amount for us.

But after I came back to Japan, I started to STORE too much food again, making excuses, like, "If I run out of food and don't have time to shop?" or "If an earthquake happens? We NEED extra food!! "

Is this a kind of maternal instinct to STORE nutrition for a baby???
Cause not only me, but many women have this instinct, I think... Like, "empty-fridge phobia" or something like that.
I've been trying to be realistic & effective to keep "prompt amount" food in our fridge...but when the food in fridge became almost prompt, my mom called me.
"Hey,Keiko! I just sent you LOTS OF seafood! Enjoy!!"
Wait a minute, another FOOD FLOOD is coming soon...

Dear Examinees

The biggest reason why I don't mention about this blog for my students is...that I may not be able to disclose what I REALLY think. Also, to avoid identifying my students.

Kotaro, 17 year-old my private student, is a rich kid.
When he was a baby, his baby sitter was English. Since he was very little, he has been coming our language school. However, he just...can't get his goals.
Now he is aiming to get the second grade of EIKEN. I've been teaching the special class for him for a year, but his scores have not raised much.
I provided some order-made tests for him, gave a listening book and check how he was doing, and listed up some tips of how he should study for EIKEN.
I try to explain English vocabulary as his familiar world, like J-pop. Sometimes I even sing! I think I told every technique of taking a test, but still...his score is far from getting the second grade.

When he started to take my class, he didn't have any enthusiasm for studying.
Sometimes I scolded him, and he often had the mumps. But recently, he seems to be willing to work hard for EIKEN. His contract will expire this coming April, but he said he wanted to continue my lesson. That makes me more PAINFUL. ...Why don't he improve???

I was at a loss, so I asked help for my head teacher, Taka.
Taka asked me, "have you ever have him written the Mission Statement? The Mission Statement is what are your English goals, in short-tern, middle-term, and long-term. Kotaru can't retain his English knowledge because his goals are very vague. Once he started to study actively, I think he will improve."

I see...yeah, he has been VERY passive!
Taka also showed me his "secret manual" of test-taking teaching trainings, for head teachers. I stayed office until 10:30 pm, and copied all of his manual.
I should make Kotaro pass the second grade of EIKEN!! cause I want to be a RELIABLE professional whatever job I'm engaged to!!

His manual seems very good. There are many test-taking skills I didn't know very much, like scanning, eye-stopping, sight translation, etc, etc.
If I become familiar with those skills, it would be good for Kotaro!! and...MYSELF!!

I'm also the one who has kept failing EIKEN...not second grade, but first grade...
Even my score is always "a little bit short" of passing score, "fail" is "FAIL!!"

On this weekend, I'll read this manual to master test-taking skills!!!

Confrontation of PHOBIAS

Today, I deliberately confronted two of my phobias.

1. Sea animals...
I don't know why! But since I was a kid, I've sometimes had a bad dream.
In the dream, there are many fish...not cute tropical fish, but deep-sea fish like angler fish...in the bathtub of my bathroom. I'm terrified, but "I have to get in." So, I try to put my feet in, still trembling...
Then, I always wake up, sweating.

I don't have any bad memory of fish! I think they are supposed to be cute, but...just, scary to me.

Anyway, how did I confont the phobia?
I went to watch "Oceans." Why did I pick the movie? I just need to see some SPECTACULAR view cause I haven't watched a movie at a theater for while!!

The documentary movie was...good. I saw stronger fish prey upon the weaker...
But actually, I brought my lunch in the movie theater, and the lunch was coincidentally...SUSHI.
I just felt like sushi, but you know...I watched "dog-eat-dog" world, no, in fact, "fish-eat-fish" world, eating FISH. Having watched the movie, I felt "every animal needs to fight to feed themselves." But I didn't fight at all, just "bought" the "feed."
Sorry! That was my impression of this movie...

2. (the other phobia) pointed stuff...
Whenever I see something pointed, like a skewer or a toothpick, I can't stop imagining the scene...the one sticks into my nose or eyes or somewhere!!
Yes, call me stupid! But I just...can't stop thinking about it.

How did I confront it?
I went to an acupuncture & moxibustion clinic today.
One of my admirable friends, Mina, recommended this clinic to me.
This clinic might be very good for me to change my allergic constitution, she said.

Moxibustion is good, I can endure the hotness. But acupuncture! They would stick "NEEDLES" into me!! However, I plucked up the courage to go there.

The impression... That's not so painful, as I imagined... But sometimes I felt pain when the acupuncturist stuck needles to specific parts, like my insteps or head.
Yes, head! I got NEEDLES ON MY HEAD!!

Anyway, I'm proud of myself that I challenged two phobias...
But I realized I have MORE. Not phobias, but BAD customs!!
1. The movie was so quiet that I can't stop DRIFTING OFF...
2. I was 5 minute LATE for the appointment of the acupuncture clinic!
Falling asleep or being late (always 5 minutes, though) when they are not appropriate are clearly my BAD CUSTOMS.
I should confront these sooner!!

Get out of your comfort zone!

I finished writing my script for the upcoming In-House Speech Contest at the Toastmasters.
However, the required time is 5-7 minutes. My speech is quite long... Where whould I cut? The opening? Numbers of episodes? or explanations?
Also, I think I should make the ending more specifically. Organizing ideas is the MOST difficult part of making a speech!!

Good evening fellow Toastmasters, and guests.
Six years ago, I was not in Japan. I lived here.(show a map) West Lafayette, Indiana state, in America. My husband transferred to this small city. We happened to live here for four years and a half. I didn’t want to move to this city because I didn’t speak English very much and I enjoyed my job in Japan. I was a wedding emcee. As you know, the one who says, “Here comes the bride and groom! Please join your hands with congratulations!” like that. Speaking in front of people was kind of my profession. But in America, I was like a child who barely communicate with people because of the language.

However, I tried to keep saying this to me, “Get out of my comfort zone! That’s the only way to make me grow.” Today, I would like to share my transition stories from my comfort zone to my challenging zone.
In America, I shifted from English language school, DJ school, college, and the Toastmasters. Not smoothly, but awkwardly.

At the first day of English language school, students introduced themselves. Name, home country, former job, and so on. I didn’t know how to describe my wedding emcee job in English. But my tutor, who was a linguistics professor, insisted, I should say it formally, as “a mistress of wedding ceremonies and receptions.”
MC is the abbreviation, and I am a woman.

However, at the English class, I thought “I am too nervous to introduce myself with such a long explanation!” So, when my turn came, I said,”Hello, everyone! My name is Keiko, I’m from Japan! And…I was a MISTRESS. That’s all!”…I remember the teacher who was an old woman turned pale. Later, I noticed a “mistress” was a woman who dated a married man when I watched the TV sitcom, FRIENDS.

One year later, I wanted to learn the wedding emcee job from American professional. However, in America, there was no “wedding emcee” job. But some American told me, “DJs speak and announce in weddings. That’s what you want to be!” So, I contacted the most popular DJ in the city. The DJ, Mark, accepted me generously, saying, “I will open the DJ school soon. You should come and learn about the job.”
I was very excited and go to the DJ school. When I opened the door, Mark was surrounded by electronic equipment and turned the DJ table.
“Hey, man! What’s up!? Let’s get started!!”
I thought I would learn how to speak properly, but he meant how to turn the music.

Two years later, I found the “voice for the actor” class at the university.
The class was to build well-trained voice. This must be very good for myself, dreaming of a bilingual emcee! So, I started to take the class.

At the first day, the instructor, Stacie, said,
“Let’s play the game to remember your classmates’ names! Make a circle!
Then, say your name and make an action which represents yourself! The next one, repeat the previous one’s name and action, and do your action! The last one is supposed to memorize everyone’s name and actions! Let me start! Stacie! (dance) Next!”
(The next one) “Stacie! Tony! (salute)”
(The next one)“Stacie, Tony,Ron(play the guiter!)”

I turned pale because I was only non-native English speaker, and the last one of the circle! If they had been all Japanese, I would have enjoyed the game.
However, there were Danica & Darci, Brandon & Bryan, and Molly and Holly…a lot of confusing names to me!

“Here is your turn, Keiko!” In contrast to very cheerful instructor, I was desperate to survive there. “Stacie! Tony!Ron! Ah…who’s next???”

After drifting my challenging zone, the last place I reached was the Toastmasters.
A half year later, I became a secretary. The president was Kevin, who owned a farm. At the officers’ meetings, sometimes I told my opinions to members.

(Keiko)“So, I think, the meeting theme has to be decided by the Toastmaster, him or herself. It’s very hard for international people to be familiar with the topics!”
Kevin just nodded all the time, “ah-hah.”
(Keiko)“Therefore…how should I tell it to the Vice President Education? Or should I wait till the next training is over?”
(Kevin)”…Um-huh.”
(Keiko)”Kevin…what do you think?”
(Kevin)”Ah…Keiko, sorry… What did you say???”
Kevin had never communicated with Japanese before, so he didn’t understand my English with Japanese accents!

Despite of my embarrassing situations, I’m proud of myself that I kept challenging. The challenge doesn’t have to be a big step. Even though it’s a just one step further, I bet you can see different scenery you used to have.

Yesterday, I said this to my husband.
“Honey. If you transfer again, I would follow you anywhere in the world.”
He put his hand on my shoulder.
“NO WAY! Japan is the BEST country. I’ll NEVER get out of here even A STEP!!”

Letter from New Student

Who has been saying, "The Japanese birth rate has been stagnant!?"

At our school, kids' student population has been propagating!!

Today, I welcomed three new kid students at each class.

At 7-8 year old class, the new student's name was Miyu. She said she had never learned English before, but her pronunciation & greetings were perfect.

She said, "Hello, my name is Miyu. How are you? Nice to meet you!"

After the greeting, she gave me the drawing of a girl. (right picture!)She must love drawing! I just thought, and asked her.

Keiko:"Is this you?"

Miyu:"Not me."

K:"Is this your mother?"

M:"No."

K:" Is this your...sister? or friend?"

M: "No! This is my English teacher, YOU!!"

...Wow!! I had never met her before, but she "imagined" what her English teacher(ME!!) would be like. How cute she is!! I was impressed, but she even made me moved more.

Miyu: "And...here it is. This is also for you."

She gave the this letter (left picture!) ...Oh, you don't read Japanese?

It says,"Nice to meet you. I'm looking forward to learning English from you!"

Isn't it nice???

I didn't meet her mother today. Miyu said,

"My mom is working hard, so she left me here and went back to her office."

I bet she is a busy working woman, but I'm sure the mother taught Miyu English, and told Miyu about writing my drawing and letter for me.

What a GREAT mom her mother is!!

Today was snowy cold day...(It was the FIRST snowy day since we came back to Tokyo!!) But the letter and the drawing made me warm.

After I got home, I showed these to my hubby.

He said,"Ah... I don't know how her English is good, but her imagination is not good at all! The girl in this picture is APPARENTLY a child!! Not a teacher!!"

Oh, right...