Friday, March 25, 2011

Natto Gohan

I had Natto Gohan tonight - for the first time ever - will we ever meet again? Hmmm..I wonder question

Natto Gohan - the mere mention of it gets some strange looks from foreigners. I saw it on the menu and thought to finally give this mysterious delicacy a try - what the heck, it's not as if I haven't tried "unusual food" before - fermented soy beans - how unusual could it be right? So anyway, I gave my order to the server (日本人)and she looks at me with an are-you-sure-look on her face, as if that wasn't enough - she asked me "Do you know what Natto Gohan is? I said yes I do. Still not convinced - she further asked me "Do you still want to order it?" I said yes I do. She says ok.....and with a final warning saying "It's an acquired taste you know." Is that a challenge or what? Natto Gohan finally came to the table - yes, it did have a certain smell to it, however, "Binagoongan" to me is yummy - get my point?

Actually, it wasn't really bad, I just kinda found it messy to eat. I had to keep a napkin close by as it was really sticky and slimy and sticks to your chin - after a few tries I got better and ate with more poise.

The server came back to the table - I guess unable to hold her curiosity asks "How was the natto? " I said "It was good." She finally acknowledges "I'm glad you like it."

Will Natto and I ever meet again? Well....never say never.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

TV Japan

TV Japan is currently free on Rogers.....am watching NHK news live straight from Japan (in 日本語).

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

JLPT....to take or not to take....

......that is the question....Japanese Language Proficiency Test, I think I should....I really want to.....I think I might......just thinking about it makes me a nervous wreck....but it's somewhat a goal.  Just do it!!!  It'll be a motivating factor to work hard (er).  That's me cheering myself on..........

Friday, March 4, 2011

フルーツバスケット


Fruits Basket....my first ever attempt at reading manga in 日本語.  So far so good....however, I feel like a kindergartner reading a Tolstoy or something.  For every 漢字 that I don't know I have to refer to the dictionary.  I hope I get used to the 漢字 as I progress through the story to make reading more enjoyable.  As it is, I feel very pleased when I have gone through a page or two without having to look up a word.  This is just a start....I really want to get good at this! 

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Two of Us

Two of Us
by:  flumpool


It's you once again; your expression shows you are peevish
"Even I am not perfect" I say
Somehow I am always captivated by you; I am the same as ever
No matter where the place is, if you are beside me I wouldn't mind

Every time you laugh, I would think, how that smiling face
Is enough for me to live, there is nothing more to hope for
I think discontentment exists and characters that cannot be fixed
However, I want to hear the words "I love you."

“Eternity” and “Absolutely” are sang in exaggeration in love songs.
I am shy however I am with you.
Every time we fight, always with each other, but I fail to notice
I recall and I feel shy.

Therefore always to be beside you, holding while healing the wounds
50 years in the future smiling and forgiving
Our bond will become great, I think just like that by being with you
The meaning of love is such, that you will have this great feeling

How people live for etude, to mock nothing
If you live carrying pain and tears
Share it with me, play music of hope for the "two of us".

Every time you laugh, I would think, how that smiling face
is enough for me to live, there is nothing more to hope for
There may be sadness in the future, this is reality
So therefore, I want tell you "I want to keep on loving you."


This is the romaji that I translated it from.  I am certain that my translation is not perfect...hmmm...but this is how I interpret the song - the gist of it anyway I think I got.  Pardon the mistakes  m(_ _)m but I really liked the song the first time I heard it (^-^) so rather than just posting the video - I decided to make the extra effort of translating and at the same time practice on my 日本語.  So this isn't any "official" translation - it's just for my practice, as well, lyrics are not as "poetic" as a song should be that's because I translated it as I understood it (^0^)y



Mata kimi ha ne, fukigen sou ni kao shikamete
“hora boku datte kanpeki janai” iiwake suredo
nandakanda kimi ni muchuu nano ha aikawarazu no boku de
donna henpi na basho demo, kimi to nara kamawanain dayo

kimi ga warau tabi, boku ha omoishiru, ikiru imi nante sono egao de
juubun, sore ijou nani mo nozondeha inai to
fuman ni omou koto mo aru darou, naosenai seikaku mo aru darou
dakedo ne, kiite hoshii kotoba ga aru, “aishiterundayo”

eien datoka zettai datoka oogesa ni utau
RABUSONGU ha tererukedo, kimi to dattara sa
kenka suru tabi, itsumo tagai no ketten ni kidzuku kedo
omoikaeseba hanikandeiru, sonna boku ga ite

dakara itsumo itsumademo soba ni ite, ienai kizu wo kakaetemo
gojuu nen saki de mo, hohoemiai yurushiaeru
sonna kankei ni nareru to ii na, sou omoeru kimi ni aeta dake de
ai no imi nado, dou de mo ii you na ki ga surun da yo

hito ha ikiru tame no ECHUUDO nante, arimoshinai mono wo nedatteru
itami mo namida mo kimi ga seoote ikiteku nara
boku to hanbun ni sureba ii sa, kanaderu kibou he no ‘two of us’

kimi ga warau tabi, boku ha omoishiru, ikiru imi nante sono egao de
juubun, sore ijou nani mo nozondeha inai to
mirai wo ureu koto mo aru darou, genjitsu ha hagayuku mo aru darou
dakara ne, tsutaetai omoi ga aru, “aishite tsudzuketai”

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Two Legged Mouse

In my entire 13 years working on the 21st floor, I have never had water stolen from me....and boiling water that is. After lunch earlier this week, I boiled water in my trusty kettle - the one that's just enough for one person - looking forward to my cup of tea. From the time that I started the kettle, sat at my desk and returned to the servery, wasn't even more than 10 minutes. When I came back my kettle was empty, the lid not even properly on. I was shocked! Seriously! Who would steal water?! Well, my colleagues weren't so lucky - someone's milk was used up; another's sandwich had a bite in it! I mean really! The nerve! We are not talking about a public place here - this is a workplace for *&^%^# sake! There are some people you just don't really get no matter how hard you try.

Interestingly, our Business Assistant a.k.a. The Investigator seem to have a suspect......