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I am from the South East of England. I teach general and business English to mostly company employees in Tokyo. Most of the time i'm busy teaching, but when not, i try to improve my Japanese and i also enjoy reading about history and arts and crafts. I'm especially interested in Greek and Roman history. Now and then i have some time to do some drawing.
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    My mother

    She is a conservative Chinese woman. I have described her with different negative words such as old fossil, stuffy, annoying. When I made a mistake, she did like to preach me and rub salt into my wound. But I perceived the change from her recent attitude, she no longer criticises me or hurts my feeling. She is probably tired with that.
    She had said that she couldn't understand my ideology and side with my view. We never have a peaceful talk. Every time I tried to untangle the knot between ourselves, but the conversation just turned into a quarrel. She has emphasized that I never acknowledge my mistakes and repeats this constantly.
    She is right, I am extremely hardened but sometimes I just thought this is not my fault. My parents favor my brother, especially my mother. They call me  a trouble maker. As you know that there isn't only wrong on the one
    side in a quarrel Admittedly, I am not mature and clever enough to resolve the family problem and that is really the fatal problem.
    My mother often says that her biggest wish is the family members keep in good health and live happily.
    Maybe you think my mother isn't as bad as my description and she is just an ordinary mother.
    Moreover, My mother's knees have been degenerating these past years, and she often moans that she is getting older and more incapable. I just notice that my parents are not young and I don't want to haev regrets. I need to be stronger and then move out from my home to live independently.
    If I continue living with them, it is hard to maintain a good relationship, maybe living separately could be an opportunity to improve our relationship.

     

    0 voted
    January 18, 2012
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    Antonioni and Neorealism Back at University i studied some Italian cinema, but living in Asia for several years i lost interest. Returning to Europe this year i started watching some French and Italian movies again. I first watched La Piscine a few weeks ago, which was great, and then last week I saw La Notte an Italian film by Antonioni. This film started what later became my obsession with the actress Monica Vitti who also played in L’Eclisse, another Antonioni film. It was so good I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I wish I could describe why I like these films but I’m not really a good critic I have to be honest. All I can say is that I love the way Antonioni captures the beauty and art of landscapes and the people enveloped in them, especially with actors such as Monica Vitta and Alain Delon. Does anyone else share a like for Antonioni, or any other neorealist films/directors? Or am i just crazy?
    January 12, 2012
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    January 12, 2012
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    First notebook entry: Introducing myself

    Im javier, 19 years old, from madrid, Spain
    I want to improve my english, because i’ve been 2 years without practising, and i can't let myself forget it haha,
    so if you want to talk with a spanish guy, no matter what your age, sex, or religion or about whatever.. here i am

    xoxo

    0 voted
    January 7, 2012
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    Learning English

    I've restarted to started learning English again and want to be friends with those who is are learning Japanese!

    0 voted
    November 13, 2011
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    First notebook entry: Introducing myself

    Nice to meet you!<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-12T19:11">.</ins> My nickname is Alex<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-12T19:11">,</ins>. <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-12T19:11">and </ins>I live in Chiba, Japan. My work<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-12T19:11">I work as </ins> is a software engineer. I actually wanted to become a professional hard rock guitarist. I intend to emigrate to Europe <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-12T19:12">in </ins>3 years <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-12T19:12">time</ins>later. The countr<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-12T19:12">ies</ins>y <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-12T19:12">that</ins>where I'm interest <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-12T19:12">me</ins>is <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-12T19:13">are </ins>Italy, Spain, Romania, Czech, Turkey, Australia, etc... I<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-12T19:28">’m</ins> think<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-12T19:13">ing</ins> that I <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-12T19:13">will </ins>emigrate to Italy for the moment. The purpose of overseas emigration is to <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-12T19:14">gain more</ins>obtain freedom <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-12T19:14">in the way of thinking</ins>of thought and <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-12T19:29">living a richer </ins>life rich mentally. And <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-12T19:29">to </ins>because it finds one's happiness... If there is <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-12T19:30">a</ins>recommended country<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-12T19:30"> you recommend</ins>, please te<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-12T19:30">ll</ins>ach<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-12T19:30">me</ins> it. A<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-12T19:30">lso</ins>nd I'm interested in working with people of<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-12T19:30">around</ins> the world and global business. Therefore I <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-12T19:31">will be</ins>sav<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-12T19:31">ing</ins>e money from now on and want to be able to speak a multi-national language. I'<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-12T19:31">ll</ins>m <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-12T19:31">be </ins>glad if you <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-12T19:31">could </ins>introduce<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-12T19:32"> some</ins> overseas <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-12T19:32">jobs</ins>work. I want to make friends <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-12T19:32">from around</ins>of the world.

    0 voted
    November 12, 2011
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    First    <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T16:50">ly</ins> of all, I <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T16:50">hardly</ins>barely <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T16:50">ever </ins>went to this kind of theatre when I was in my <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T16:51">own </ins>country. <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T16:51">This </ins>It is because I thought old movies were boring and everything looked the same. However, I found th<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T16:51">e</ins>is movie, <em>To kill a Mockingbird</em> contains a lot of humorous <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:05">and </ins>makes us laugh. Also I was really impressed <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:06">with the</ins>an organist <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:06">who </ins>played the theme song of this movie and <em>Beautiful </em><em><ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:06">D</ins>dreamer</em> at the end of the movie, which w<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:07">W</ins>e can’t experience <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:07">these </ins>at normal movie theaters. As for me, there is<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:08">it’s</ins> not a boring place anymore. I guess it is worth visiting again.
    To     <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:09">talk about</ins>mention the movie, its historical backdrop is during <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:10">the </ins>1930’s in Southern United States. I recognized the movie indicates a lot of problems we have to consider. There still remained <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:12">R</ins>racism toward<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:12">s</ins> African-Americans <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:12">still existed </ins>in 1932. Th<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:12">e</ins>at movie tells the <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:13">viewer</ins>spectator not only the severe<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:38">trajic</ins>situation for Tom, who is a black man suspected of raping a white woman Mayella<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:40">,</ins> but also portrays discrimination toward<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:40">s</ins> a person who is<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:42">of</ins> the same race as the characters in the film. Boo, <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:43">despite being</ins>though he is a white, <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:43">is hated by </ins>all the <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:43">other </ins>white people in the town <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:43">who</ins>hate and <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:44">consider</ins>equate him <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:44">a</ins>with psycho<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:44">tic</ins>, or a crazy pe<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:44">rson</ins>ople. When I watched the scene <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:44">where</ins>that the <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:46">main characters</ins>protagonists found Boo sav<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:44">ing</ins>ed <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:45">the life of </ins>Jem’s life; he is <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:45">(</ins>the protagonist’s son<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:45">)</ins>, I was impressed with Boo’s action<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:45">s</ins>. He didn’t say anything at all from the beginning to the end though people <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:47">(</ins>including the<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:47"> main characters)</ins> protagonists despised him until then. He just saved Jem. Actually people tend<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:47">ed</ins> to stick to their own thoughts even if they noticed that it was wrong such as the<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:47">when the</ins> juror made a decision that Tom <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:48">was</ins>is guilty<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:49">,</ins>. P<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:49">p</ins>erhaps it was because of the historical backdrop<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:49">.</ins> or something. Unfortunately<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:50">, Jem’s</ins> the protagonists’ father Atticus <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:50">couldn’t</ins>didn’t protect Tom, but the creators succeeded to include some salvation <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:51">retribution</ins>as<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:51">during</ins> Boo’s scene. He killed a man <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:51">(</ins>who is Mayella’s father<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:51">)</ins><ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:51">by</ins>in the accident. However, the sheriff didn’t make an arrest for it. I <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:52">imagine</ins>guess it indicates what the filmmakers really want to say in the film. It <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:52">portrayed</ins>inspired the situation in Southern America in 1930’s well <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:53">for</ins>into the <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:53">the viewers</ins>spectators. In fact, it made me feel<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:54">captured my</ins> interested and <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:54">made me think</ins>consider about justice after I watched it. Although it is an old movie, their<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:55">makers</ins> way of expressing <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:55">stories</ins>them as metaphor<ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:56">s</ins> will not <ins cite="mailto:Charles" datetime="2011-11-01T17:56">fade</ins>be fadeless.

    P.S. I loved this movie, too. We studied <em>To Kill A Mockgbird</em> at school in the U.K. It is a great book, not just because i had to study it.

    0 voted
    November 1, 2011
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    sSafety

    An 8.8 scale magnitude earthquake attackedstruck the Japan coast in on March, 11.

    After the earthquake attacked struck Japan, also a huge Tsunami attacked hit the east coast of Japan and TEPCO's nuclear power plant in Fukushima prefecture. The plant had got huge been damaged badly. When the reactors shut down, the plant stopped generating electricity, stopping the normal source of power for the plant.

    InOn March, 12, the picture of a hydrogen explosion in Fukushima Dai-Ichi Plant was aired by on a TV report, and the roof of the plant suddenly collapsed.
    The Rradioactive concentration orand the concentration of cecsium raised upincreased around the nuclear power plant.
    The governmentbanned people from to entering the range of within 20km from the plant and prohibited rice planting in fields where the concentration of radioactive cesium exceeds 5000 becquerels per kilogram of soil. This disastrous calamity affected us causing serious problems.

    A lot of citizens the public and famous TV talents participated in the anti-nuclear demonstrations. They declare were arguing for the backing out of nuclear energy througdue to the Fukushima Dai-ichi disaster .

    Making sure that users of radioactivelagical materials follow safety regulations is only the first step to stop a radiological nuclear emergency within the country. The Nuclear Safety Commission have to carry out aneed strong leadership to protect us and the our environment from the effect of exposure to radiation.

    0 voted
    October 11, 2011
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    Slow trip to Hokkaido.(^^)

    In During the summer vacation, I went to Hokkaido by on a slow train.
    It tookss a long time from my town.
    So Wwhy did'nt I use the Shinkansen?
    Well, Ffirst, the slow train is cheap.,
    and Ssecond, I had a lot of times.
    Third, Also, I wanted to try to go inefficiencyon an awkward, and stupid silly trip just once time in my life.

    Well, I was sitting for a very long time so my bottom had was painful (☆｡☆)haha.

    0 voted
    October 11, 2011
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    Do notYou mustn't paint your nails!

    I worked for a rental video shop until last month. The shop did not allow the employees to paint their nails. But I’ve quit, so now I can paint my nails now! I’m wondering what color I will paint my nailsthem. Pink? Blue? Red? Green?

    One of my friends from the U.S. said that the shop’s rule to forbid manicure was a typically Japanese one. They don’t care what color people at the rental video shop paint their nails, right?

    I wonder what people think about the shop’s rules. For example:
    Don't You mustn't paint your nails.
    Don’t You mustn't dye your hair.
    Wear beige cotton pants.
    Tie your hair to keep it out of your face, but you must use black or brown bands.
    I think they are too strict, but they these rules are not unusual in Japan.

    0 voted
    October 3, 2011
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