Take Me To a G-B game!

I'm a baseball fan and I like Yomiuri Giants very much.  Today 6 openers took place.  To my regret, Giants lost the first game. 

Good rookies and new managers will arouse fans this season.  One of such rookies is Yuki Saito( Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters) , a pitcher.  He is so expected that he shows himself as a starter in the opener.  Four new managers come.  They were superstars when I was a teenager.  Among them, I 'm going to cheer Kiyoshi Nakahata (Yokohama DeNA Baystars) .  His sunny disposition will make the team more attractive. 

As I don't live in a big city, it's difficult to watch baseball games in stadiums.  However I don't give up watching a game between Giants and Baystars in a stadium.

A Long Nightmare

Some say that they dream that they are late for the exams and jump out of bed even after they graduate from schools.  I've seen such a dream very often when I was a student, but now I don't. Instead  monsters which I feared as a child while watching a hero drama appear in my dreams.

"Shockers" which wear black costumes with horrible white bone-like paint were tools of the Evil in "Kamen Rider." They cried in a strange voice.  When I went on an errand for my mother, I ran as fast as I could not as to be kidnapped by them. 

Long time passed.  I can enjoy old dramas without any horror.   However, I stop stunned when I see a group of people in black sportwear ( to make matters worse, white lines are on them) running out of the corner, I was astonished.  The childhood fear still seems to remain in my memory.

Smart Sleep

I downloaded "Sleep as Android" application.  It's not just an alarm clock.  It has a censor which records its user's sleeping patterns and rings at the best time before the time set.

The "best" time means the time when the user's sleep is the lightest.  I've used the application's free trial version for two weeks.  I could get up more comfortably than before.

If you don't have your battery of your smart phones run out of electricity during your sleep, this application will be one of your best alarm clocks!

  

Roundabout

When my health certificate was given, I found a pieceof paper sticked on it.  It says "Your eating habit is not so bad.  Exercise more."  I took the paper off, and found a horrible result.  Over 300!  Too high cholesterol readings!   I will not to take the shortest way from my house to the bus stop from tomorrow.

Mushroom Growing Report 3

There are only four kinds of mushrooms to be found.  My virtual lab can grow more mushrooms in a shorter time.  I've discovered toadstools, too. 

Sometimes I got shocked at monster-like things that may not be called mushrooms.  I thought of rejecting them, but such strange things are illustrated as Nameko-to-be-grown  in the list.  So growers should admit that they have "mushroom rights."

Business as usual, anyway.

A Woman In Black

Black make my love life colorful?   Do I need "clothes for passion," too?

Today I blushed at buying black under-somethings, my goodness, for the first time in my life! Now a  shower of "How old in the world are you?" from my friends are coming to my phone.

I didn't know that I was too conservative.

The Crown Of Thorns ("Aibou" 10 spoiler ahead)

The TV drama "Aibou" Season 10 ended.  The lieutenant Kanbe will go his own way to see justice done, after pretending to prevert the course of justice.  His boss Sugishita with a distressed look, after reading Kanbe's real intention, chose a merciful way to settle the matter. 

But that means they will not be able to work together.  Kanbe, with remorse for challenging his boss "cruelly" (in fact, Kanbe was caught up in a power game between the Police and the Government) had to leave Sugishita.  Both of them got hurted and Kanbe was shifted to the organization which is the forefront of the power game. 

However, there is a man who understand the two men of justice.  Haruki Okouchi, Top Inspector, respects and admires Sugishita and he has known Kanbe for a long time.  It seems to me that Okouchi helped them not to have an invisible barrier against each other. 

Anyway, Kanbe didn't die.  However, the prince took the crown of thorns and I hope he'll fight for the right with a sword of courage and justice that he learned under Sugishita.

I will miss Kanbe very much, but I'm looking forward to the next season.

Prince Charming Is Leaving

I'm feeling uneasy about his "graduation" from the Police.  Today my prince charming, lieutenant Takeru Kanbe (singer Mitsuhiro Oikawa plays the role) is leaving.

I've never been into a TV drama before.  "Aibou", a long-run policier, has made many unique and attractive characters.  I'm a fan of Mitsuhiro Oikawa, and 3 years ago, I cried with joy to know he appeared in the drama.

In ten minutes, the last story of this season 10 starts.  Don't make him a martyr to duty!

Since Yesterday

I took the first examination for sterlie women.  I 've been very nervous and worried.  ( Even a blood test has had me fallen down in a faint. ) The nurse gave a lot of care to her work. She was talking to me very kindly, and my blood sample was taken while I was enjoying talking with her!

Then I saw the director of the hospital.  He spoke in a calm voice with wit and humor.  Taking out a lot of paper to explain further examination and  possible treatments, he said to me, " Your homework, ma'am.  Don't worry too much, as it's not a pop quiz.  But you and your partner have to study hard."  "I ... We will, doctor," I answered. 

Then I  paid the check.  About 30000 yen.  After I left, about 4 hours passed. It was a very expensive and long day.  But I keep a good heart. 

In Front Of The Second Door

I'm going to see a gynecologist tomorrow.  That worries me more seriously than any interviews and examinations that I had taken.

What kind of examinations should  I undergo, and how many?  I do understand that life without kids may be unlucky but never be unhappy.  I whined to my partner.

"Any discouraging results never changes you and me, never."  I will go to the second door with his words.

A Parabola Made It

A parabola was placed on my apartment porch with no trouble.  My partner and I contracted with Sky Perfectv.  Among an incredible number pay channels, we chose two; Fuji TV Next (1260yen/month)and CNNj(945yen/month). 

My partner didn't miss his favorite Formula 1. He looks happy to have watched a preliminary race ( he's  checked the results on the cell phone for long years.)

 Well, this is my turn to watch world news and brush up my English listening skill.

New Golden Oldies

I got to like a J-POP group "Ikimonogakari." It's a band where a woman sings and two men play guitars and other insruments.  In convenience stores, on TV commercials, their songs are heard very often.  Their songs are pop and catchy.

Kiyoe Yoshioka, the vocalist, has an expressive voice.  The words are simple and refined,  and they are sang with no strange manners. Their messages seem to communicate themselves to me.  I saw their TV interview and came to know that people of all ages and both sexes come alone, in couples, in families, to the group's concerts.  I think that this is a group of much note.

Playing Rico's Way

Though I have not indulged in the video games, I like some "puzzle" games where a player matich identical color of blocks and "erase" them.  TETRIS is too difficult for me to play, but "Puyo Puyo" and "ZOOKEEPER" are my favorite ones. 

I downloaded a game similar to the two games.  What attracted me most is the sound when erasing the blocks; KABOOM!

I'd like to play the game with Rico of the Penguins.

Forget, And It Shall Be Given You

I received a small package.  The label on the top of it says that it 's for me and the item is a bottle of suppliment.  But I didn't order any suppliment.  The word "fraud" came into my mind.

Anyway, I opened the package and  found a sheet of paper. It starts with "Conglatulations! You are one of the winners!"  Reading the paper, I understood what happened to me at last.

In late January, I wrote a reader survey on a postcard attached with a magazine.  Some presents are given to the lucky people among those who sent the survey.  I completely forgot writing the survey. 

It's interesting that whenever I look forward to the winner announcement, nothing comes to me.
Now a bottle of royal jelly for 1 month ( I've never bought because it's expensive) sits on a table. 

Lucky me!

A Tiny Trainer

A pedometer which I 've used for ten years broke, and I bought a new one at a drugstore.  How small it is!
It is only 22g, and has far more functions than the old one. 

MT-KT01 made by TERUMO can count even how much calories you burn not by walking but also by any other daily activity.  Even the day you miss your walking time, for instance, when the heavy rain falls or just you don't feel like walking, you don't have to be discouraged. 

The tiny trainer, in your pocket, always shows "now you are consuming calories."  It seems to me that it is a very patient and generous private trainer.

Mushroom Growing Report 2

Since I wrote the last report, I've  found 3 new "Nameko" mushrooms; No.07 (a slant one), 08 (a very hard one ), and 09 (with thorns). 

I went out with a friend of mine this evening.  My laboratory left unchecked for a long time. Now I saw it, the tree where the mushrooms grow went moldy!  The mold had to be rubbed off by a finger. 

New mushrooms give higher points than those grown in the earlier stage.  I changed some of the points into a stronger light, a bigger themal machine. 

I got to feel like a company owner as well as a botanist.

Love Me, Love My Phone Number

When I was a small child, in the days with no cell phones, my parents made me remember my address and two phone numbers; those of my house and a house nextdoor.  Even if I had some troubles when I was out, I could connect with my family anyway. 

The March 11 disaster last year got me to need a stronger "kizuna" (bond) between people, but since I got a cell phone, I've never kept any phone numbers in mind. I just don't have to do so as the phone records all.   To my shame,  I sometimes forget my own cell phone number. 

Feeling horrified,  I decided to put off the habit. I started writing down the numbers on the directory in my smart phone.  My family members' cell phone numbers have just been memorized. 

Opening A Door

"Not again!"  I threw a thermometer away and pulled my blanket over my head.  A hail of of abuse to myself woke up my partner in dismay. 

We don't have kids.  I have been checking my basal body temperature for a year.  But no good news has come.  My getting degrees, diseases, our changing jobs, moving, other family matters cut in our life.  Of course, nobody lives  a perfect and comfortable life without any worries.   However, we are not young now, helplessness is becoming bigger and bigger. 

He soothed me and said that we had to open a door.  I got to know what he meant : it's time to visit a gynecologist .  I hesitated.  My biggest worry is that medical checks will expose who's "guily" in sterility. I'm very afraid that the result may change the state of our relationship.   You may think that I 'm too pessimistic, however,  in fact, some of my friends lost their partners.

We went to a clinic.  While filling a counseling sheet with my partner, I got calm little by little.  We had an appointment of the first examination and came home.  I was able to breathe again.

Anyway, the first door was opened.

Voices From Posters

At a station, I found many new posters on the walls.  Each of them has a photo featuring the people in 3.11 disaster areas and their words. Walking down the stairs, I stopped in front of a poster.  I was impressed by one of the words of a family in Kamaishi. 

The posters can be seen on the website   http://fukkou-noroshi.jp/  too.  Most of the site is seen in English.
But the word isn't translated in English, and I want to introduce it here.

"isshoni kanashimu koto yorimo anatano shigotowo isshokemmei ni yattehoshii ."
(Literally, "We would rather want you to put your affair in order, than to feel sorrow with us.)  I understand the word "Please don't have you too depressed by our sorrow."

The word sounds forceful to me. 

.

Mushroom Growing Report

On the screen of my smart phone, I started growing Nameko (mushroom) about a week ago.  I have found 4 new kinds of them; No.03 (pale), 04 (a little scary), 05 (very tall), 06 (a twin).

I check "my laboratory" only a few times a day, so the game is going very slowly.  More and more mushrooms are growing day by day.  Gathering the grown is pleasant, and whenever I find a new one, I feel as if I were a botanist.

It's a curious game, indeed.

Vegetable Soup Day

Feeling a little upset in my stomach, I reached at the medicine cabinet.  I was cooking soup for my supper.  After a minute's consideration, I put meat into a freezer and opened a can of boiled soybeans instead.

I'm not a vegetarian, but sometimes I feel that meat sits heavy on my stomach.  The soup has cabbage, onion, carrot, potato, turnip, "shiitake" mashroom, and tomato.  It's seasoned with salt and pepper.  No consomme cube.

It was a light and right meal for me today. 

The Tragedy of "B"

How many do Japanese people really like "Blood Group Talk"?  I'm sick of being asked of mine.  Some get surprised, some nod saying " Just as I imagined", and so what?  It' no wonder.  Group A can be seen among over 40% of Japanese. 

Frowning at the person who asked me would be childish, and I make it a rule to change the topic, especially when someone told  "Mine is group B."  I don't believe any Blood Type Personality Advice, but the only thing I can say is Group B blood person is apt to be made fun of by the people present.

A Young Penguin Missing

I was surprised at the news that a year-old penguin ran (I don't think it is an appropriate word, though) away from an aquarium in Tokyo and some people saw him/her swimming in the nearby river.

That reminds me of the news that a penguin in Nagasaki Penguin Aquarium was kidnapped some years ago and the suspect was arrested.  The suspect was going to take the bird into a big bag and sell it.

How could a young penguin get out of the aquarium?  As a great fan of "The Penguins from Madagascar", I can imagine four penguins of the Special Forces offered the missing their soda jet (a plastic bottle of soda carried on the shoulder, and big wings to wear .)secretly to fly in the sky. 

I hope the penguin will be found soon.

A Parabola Problem

My partner and I don't watch TV much.  We don't set a parabola to see programs broadcasted by satellite, Living in an old apartment without a parabola to watch programs broadcasted by satellite, there has been no problem until this spring. 

Formula 1, a quite famous car race,  can't be watched on our TV.  That means, one of the biggest pleasures for my partner is being lost. " How terrible it is not to be able to watch Kamui (Kobayashi, a Japanese new star driver ) !" shouted he, and ran to an electric appliance store and he's still there now. 

Whether a parabola can be set properly in a porch or not is a problem.  If not, are we going to move?　No way.    I hope that things will go right.

Mushrooms On A Phone

I downloaded one of the popular game applications; Nameko Growing Kit.  "Nameko" is a kind of mushrooms.  It's a free application and easy to play.

The mushrooms have funny faces and when grown, they are "reaped" by sliding fingers on them to a box.  The number of them becomes, as NPs (Nameko Points), can be used to buy things for better and more reaping .  There are 30 kinds of Nameko registered, and a player can enjoy not only growing them but also
finding a different kind of them.

Oh, a new Nameko comes out!   Where is a fertilizer?

Lips Talk

I was browsing the catalogs of eye care cosmetics.  My partner looked at me and heaved an audible sigh, which irritated me a little.

"Don't you feel unhappy when I look older with wrinkles around my eyes? "

"I may do, but I do feel unhappier and depressed when your lips become rough.　You know, I always close my eyes when ..."

I threw away the catalogs, without waiting for the end of his words.

"Sakura" Clips

An academic year starts in April in Japan.  At stationary shops you can see more and more "cherry blossoms" on writing paper, postcards, stamps, and so on.

I found cute paper clips. It may be characteristic of Japanese to connect five thin, heart-shaped petals with "sakura" (a cherry blossom.)

 In March, tons of paper  come and go at my office.  Most of them are year-end reports.  While dealing with them, I sometimes feel that it's still in the middle of a winter.  The "sakura" clips will remind me that spring is here.