Happy new Years 2012

What is your New Year's Resolution? :)

I made 3 resolutions this year. They are to improve my English more, exercise more often, and to go traveling around Asia!

During the new years holiday, I visited my parents home. I ate a lot of food and relaxed there. I spent time with my family and childhood friends. It was great!

I go back to their house 3 times a year. It takes about 3 hours by bus from my hometown of Osaka. It was so great to see them again on new years, because I miss them so much. I wish I could stay longer...

After I got back to Osaka, I went to a big shrine to perform "Hatsumode in Japanese", which is the first visit to a temple or shrine in the new year to pray for health and good luck in the coming year. It was so crowded...

This past year and my new year's holiday went SO fast.... :(
May the Year 2012 be excellent and totally awesome!

First notebook entry: Introducing myself

Hello I'm Alice.
I was born and brought up in Japan.
I'm terrible at speaking English.
When it comes to speaking English, I get nervous.
If only I could speak English a little better!
I want to be good at English!
Nice to meet you!

<em>meat is from animals, (</em>肉<em>）</em>

<em>meet is used for people introducing each other</em>

<em>Ex,</em>

<em>I can meet you at the train station.</em>

<em>Today I have a meeting at 9:00 AM.</em>

<em>Meat and meet, they sound the same!</em>

This is my Yaki-udon

Take a look at the photo! Yaki-udon is a type of pan-fried noodle dish. In China, yellow noodles are used, but this white, thicker noodle is called Udon in Japan, which is made of flour. For this photo I cooked udon noodles with cabbage, carrots, garlic chives, and various kinds of mushrooms.