The Terminal

I've wanted to see "The Terminal" for years, and today finally I did after watching "Tuesdays with Morrie".

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Terminal
  

I borrowed the DVD from my little brother too, and Thanks bro! :)

BTW, I'm wondering how Tom Hanks studied that eastern European (Russian like?) language.

Tuesdays With Morrie

In the end of last year, my little brother recommended that I would see this movie, and I borrowed several DVDs including that during the new year vacation.

Although I couldn't have made time to watch it for these months because of my daughter things :o, finally I did. :)

Tuesdays with Morrie

• http://imdb.com/title/tt0207805/
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuesdays_With_Morrie

The story reminded me of several stories/films those of:

• Goodby, Mr. Chips
• Something for Joey

If you know any of the above films, you might notice that the second one has almost no resemblance with Tuesdays with Morrie. I agree with that.
But, that comes from the memory of late my father actually.
One day, when I was a 9 or 10 years old kid, he called me and we watched a TV program together. That was "Something for Joey." :)

It's a story of a college football player, John, and his little brother, Joey, who got leukemia.

In those days, I and my little brother were always quarrelling, so my father wanted me to learn or feel something from the film especially because I'm the elder.

Now, it's more than 7 years since my father past away, and it's too late to talk about that with him. But, still it's a good memory of my father.

TOEIC '08 Winter

I had a TOEIC test about two weeks ago, and today I got the result.

Well, this time it's my peak score so far, and I guess this is because
I had adapted myself enough for the new TOEIC test system. One more thing
a bit surprising for me was that I didn't have almost any chance to speak
English last year (again), but the score was improved more than my expectation.
Usually, my TOEIC score repeats getting better and worse in turn, and
this time was to be the getting worse turn as you can see in the relative scores line above.

Now, I'm wondering two things.
1) Why I got a better score than my expectation?
Perhaps, nowadays TOEIC is too easy? :o
2) What should I choose for evaluating my English?
Any ideas?

BTW, some readers here might feel deja vu having a look at the above graph format.
Please don't care that. :)

St. Valentine's Day

In Japan, we have a custom that women give chocolates to men on February 2 every year.
Different from the one of western world, it's CHOCOLATE used as a gift. In addition, it's a woman who sends gifts on the day. Also, one more strange(?) thing is, there is a custom called "Giri Choco(late)" literally translated as "Chocolate from a sense of obligation" or something like that.

It's said that Japanese confectionery makers sucessfully created the custom, but anyway we enjoy that.

The above picture is the ones I got from a little lady of one of my colleagues this year. I like the right one best. :)

BTW, March 14 is called "White Day", and on that day men gives back gifts,
usually cookies, to women. Japanese confectionery makers really did well. :o

Day 128 : BCG

Today, I had a day off and took my daughter to the city health care center to have several medical checks and the BCG injection.



Of course, she cried out loud. :o

Mini Taiyaki

Taiyaki is one of traditional Japanese sweets in the shape of Sea Bream.

Usually, the size is about 10 cm or so. But, today we found an interesting Taiyaki variant at Musashi Murayama Mu.

Here it is, and that tastes as good as usual size ones. :)



BTW, the size doesn't mean it's intended for my daughter.
She can't have even baby food yet. :o

Day 126 : Shopping Mall

Today, we went to AeonMall Musahi-Murayama Mu again.
I'm not sure how many times we were there so far, but anyway my daughter always kept sleeping during our stay there.
But, today it was different.

She kept awake almost all the while we were there, and she seemed to have interests on various things.



I'm wondering if today was one of her turning points in the evolution process of her brain. :o

Hokkori

Well, today's dinner at Aeon Mall Musashi-Murayama Mu. :)



Hitsumabushi of Pork Ribs at Hokkori.

Well, first of all, Hitsumabushi is a kind of Unadon, a popular Japanese rice bowl with eels.
There seems to be a manner to have Hitsumabushi.

1. Divide the bowl into 4 parts equally.
2. Have the first quarter as is.
3. Have the second quarter with spice served with the rice bowl.
4. Have the third quarter as Chazuke, one of popular ways of eating Japanese rice.
5. Have the last quarter as you like among the above 3 ways.
   

I like the Chazuke style. :)

Day 125 : Wow!?

Today, I was shocked to find that my daughter got about 7 times
bigger/heavier than before just one instant. Oh my god, I can't hold her any longer,
and it's a really horrible thing... (;_;)



Well, actually it's not my daughter but her mother... :o

Guin Saga 119

Guin Saga 119
Radicated by Randoch
Kaoru Kurimoto
ISBN 978-4-15-030915-2

The 119th book was due on tomorrow, but I found that on my way back home today around 7:30pm. Of course, I didn't miss it. :)

This book is one of the biggest turning points of the story. According the the postscript, Kurimoto says that she had already finished 121st book. :o
Besides that, on December 8, 2007.
Crazy... :o

Snowy Tokyo

It was a snowy day in Tokyo today.

I took the above photos at a bus stop in this morning.
Well, it's Sunday today. But I had a TOEIC test and had to go to the training center of my company in Komaba, Tokyo.
At first, I was afraid that there were traffic troubles in Tokyo area, but fortunately there were only minor ones such as small delay of train.

As for the TOEIC test, I guess I can get at least better score than the previous time.
It's my second try since ETS changed TOEIC test style a bit, but I have adapted the change, I think.