Chie-bukuro (the brain)

For the first time, I used "Yahoo! Chie-bukuro" today. It is a function by Yahoo! that people question various things via net work and others answer it. When I uploaded my question, after ten minutes, I got the answer. Isn't it unbelievable?

Yesterday, I met my friend at Shinjyuku, had coffee, talk and talk.
Because the Christmas is coming, girls (also boys?) are absorbed in who will stay with them in the eve. huuuuu....
By the way, I will spend a week from 12/20 in Niigata for driving licence. So, it is not my problem. lucky me ;ω; uuu, my birthday...

Nowadays, I think I wanna get a childcare licence by myself.
I'm interested in sociology of education, development of psychology, and influence of music education in an early stage etc.
These are parts of subjects for the licence.
Moreover, this licence will be useful if I quite a job because of nurturing my children.
I didn't start now, but will consider it in a positive light.

I found a new type of washer for contact lenses.
I usually use only liquid.
First, rub the lenses for 15 seconds, turn them and do same thing.
Then, soak them at least for 4 hours.
However, the new type is much easier!!
Only soak lenses in liquid and put a pill into a contact case.
This way costs more but have strong sterlize power : )
I recommend this.

new semester has begun

It's already December!
Compared with November, it is much colder.
I cannot stand riding a bicycle without a muffler and gloves.
In this autumn vacation, I went to the Myoko highlands to get a driving licence with two friends.
I chose manual cars because I thought it was much cooler than automatic cars lol
It was difficult to get used to drive it at beginning, but at last I like to do it.
Because autumn vacation was too short to finish the program, I have to go there again to continue training after a temporary licence.

I had stayed in a pension with friends for a week. Though we knew each others since last year, we got to know more in this opportunity. I am only afraid of forgetting what I learned till a second part(12/20~27).

One of my friend participated in the program has a boy friend. They met in high school and she fell in love, but the school didn't allowed to get together. After entering university, she kept in touch, and finally started to associate with him about 6 month ago. Don't you think it is romantic? ; )

As I looked her, I became envious of her lol and got courage to contact with who I loved in elementary school by message of mixi. He is the boy I wrote in an article about Kendo. : ) He remembered me and we enjoyed conversation. We can see each other in next month because we will take part in a coming-of-age celebration in our hometown.Though I didn't think he would come back there, I really glad to know that! I don't think he is same as what he was in 12 years old, but I felt he is not changed so much from it. I don't think I will think of him special like I did again, but we can be good friends.

I was satisfied with my courage that brought happiness in a new year :)

What did I learn from this course?

I didn't have interest in creating and publishing by myself though I like reading and enjoying created things. Though the class, I wrote many things about me and what I think about something on my blog. I hadn't experienced to publish something without speaking to many people. Therefore, I was afraid if my writing could be understood like what I want to or not.

However, I learned that that is creating. It is difficult to share what I think or feel with others via works. It is easier to explain it by speaking for me, but I think it is interesting to know how readers feel from my work. Even if the feeling is not what I want to describe by my work. Besides, if we can create good feeling by my poem in readers mind, don't you think it is magical? because they don't experience what I wrote in poem and don't see special but only read my work.

I wrote one poem about youth as a first publishing, and 4 poems about pictures of times of a day by Mucha, one of my favorite painters. My poems could be immature, but I am happy some friends say they like my poems:) I wanna continue writing poems after the class. I enjoyed this course very much! Thank you :))

My obituary

Meiko Horikoshi passed away by on December 25, at the age of 70, at her house in Fukushima.

Meiko was born on December 25 in 1991, and grown up in Iwaki by 18 years old. Then, she entered International Christian University and studied about music education for children. She graduated from ICU in 2014, and work for the Agency for Cultural Affairs. Because she liked stage works very much she contributed to make them popular among Japanese young people.

She got married to one of her good friends in 2017 and had 3 children, two girls and one boy. She also worked after the marriage and births because she liked her work. Since her parents lived together, they helped to raise children. She and her husband tried to make their family warm together, and realize it.

She lived in tokyo, but she likes her hometown Iwaki. Therefore, she kept working for reconstruction till she died. She also liked to travel abroad with her husband. They visited over 100 countries.

After her husband died in December 23, she didn't cry hard and spent grate time with all of her family because it was Christmas eve. However, she couldn't wake up in the next day. She went to heaven where her husband and parents were there.

A funeral for her will be held in December 27, but it is the end of year. She said she want to die quietly and want my funeral to be held only by close people. Therefore, instead of participate in the funeral please celeblate happy new year :)

Second publishing

This is my 2nd poems about my favorite pictures.
I wanna publish the as 2nd publishing.
Please leave comments to improve them :)


https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tJOF9-ldm9W37C-G8qHvWLIMF1Gto-ag_Cg98wcUvn0/edit?hl=en_US&pli=1#

Directing

In this term, I take a class, "Interpreting in Society."
This class focus on not only Interpreting but also other profession intermediate between anything and anybody.

To intermediate is very difficult work.
For example, interpreters have to tell what speaker talked to listener in different language. To do this, they have to study about a topic in advance. Besides, depending on a case, they are needed added value like presiding and arbitrating. Though these work are not original work but needed in fact.

As a final paper, I will write a report about something related to intermediate.
My theme is directing of foreign musical in Japan as intermediating between an original musical and Japanese. As I talked about Romeo and Juliet the musical before, this work was played in over25 countries. And each time the contents is different by directing though the songs used in were aimost same. What did directer do to atract people in a country?
Actually, Japanese one directed by Shuichiro Koike was not so good for me. However, that't why I become interested in directing lol
Now I read a book about directing and acting, or a role of directers. I found some new points to see acting. I recommend to study it if you want to enjoy movies and of course musicals.

What's my view about religion?

I don't have a specific religion.
However, I sometimes pray god for giving me power to overcome something, but the god is vague. I went to a shrine to celebrate a new year. On the other hand, I celebrate a Christmas and hold a party on the day.

I like a way of thinking that everything has its god. Is it animism,an ancient Japanese thinking style?
I don't know much about it, and I'm not interested in its roots. This is my way.

If I walk in a quiet woods, I feel a mystic aura.
I cannot explain the aura well, but it's like Sisigami-sama of Mononoke-hime or Totoro...
These two images are different from each other, but how I feel depends on my mental condition.
What I can say is that I feel something cannot see at the time, but I don't know it is a kind of gods.
Similar things occur when I go to a church, an old construction, a mountain, and so on.

I don't want to deny those who have own religion. But it is true that religion sometimes brings about a conflict. If they allow others to have different thoughts, the world would be more peaceful place. Religion is a very influential thing, can be a crux of a believer. Though I took a introduction of Christianity, and study what religion is, I still wonder it.

Before I entered ICU, I rarely met religious people and thought about religion so much. However, because I chose ICU, I have been interested in it without consciousness.
Now I have many Christian friends and can listen their thinkings. We, don't have religion, are minority in the world. I don't think I will believe particular god in the future, but I wanna know more about it to understand the majority.

Kendo

Kendo is one of my favorite sports:) though I cannot play well. lol

Last Sunday, I went to watch matches at Nippon Budocan with one of my friends who plays kendo at ICU. This was a first time to see live ones. It was sooooooo exciting!! and much more speedy than
I expected. Though I had watched some kendo matches on YouTube, live ones were completely different.

Every fighter's face, voice, and posture were filled up with tension. It continued for 5 minutes till the end of the match. Whether he was win or not, he kept manners.
When I saw they going out to buy some food during a break, their faces were usual. I was impressed with the gap!!!

I think kendo is so beautiful, cultural, and emotional sport.
I play it for 2 months in high school PE class, and I play it again this term once a week.
Though I haven't experienced a formal match, I felt atmosphere of it by only watching.
I really appreciate the friend and a boy who told me about kendo in my childhood.

What does love mean to me?

I think love means feelings

to want to be with someone you love
to wish his/her happiness
to think of him/her

I don't know these feelings are for him/her or for myself.
But, I like to love people because it makes my life more comfortable.
If I would find someone to love, I am made happy by only few words from him.
However, at the same time, to love opposite sex person need courage because it is not always to be loved by him. lol
In addition, sometimes I don't know if I like as a friend or love as a man.


Though I haven't found my lover who ages together yet, I wanna find him and make a family filled with love in the future:)

a driver's license

I plan to get a driver's license in autumn and winter vacation by a gassyuku in Niigata.

I haven't decided where I will work and wether I go back to Fukushima or not.
I think if I work in an urban city, I don't have to get it for a job hunting.
I don't have interest in driving a car, so I don't want to spend time and money if it is not needed.
But, I don't want to give up something because of not having it in the future. In addition, fourtunatly I found a gassyuku discounted for ICU students.
Therefore, I decided to take part in the gassyuku.

The gassyuku is constructed for ICU students. Thouth usual gassyuku needs at least whole 2 weeks, we can devide the 2 weeks into two parts. Therefore we need both autume and winter vacation. It is usefull for me not to use spring and summer vacation, because I can use full of them to do what I want to do. Moreover, a fee of the gassuku is cheapest of other seasons (AT: 198,000 yen and MT: 208,500 yen).

I went to a briefing session today, there were only 3 listeners. Though the session holds 8 times in today and 11/1, I expect that not so many people will go the gassyuku. I heard that in summer many students go to it and have fun together. But in autumn and winter, of course, there are few students. There are some atraction to pass free time. If you want to stay in your own way, this is a chance.

If you want to know more, please tell me :)

What is "happiness" to me? a part-time job

Recently, I am troubled with money management.
I worked for a cafe for 9 months and quited it in September.
I started working there to save money for a trip. I also tried other jobs including one day jobs because I wanted to experience many jobs to know society and, of course earn more.
I had a purpose to work, and it realized already.
Now I wanna go travel again, so I have to save money.

However, my sense of values were changed.
I noticed how wonderful to live only for my pleasure during the trip.
If I don't desire something needs money, I don't have to do what I do only for money (my work was easy but too monotonous.) If I don't travel and watch musicals (at least less), I don't need much money. Which is happier for me? That is a question.

I'm a student. My parents pay a lot for my study. I like studying and reading books. People say student's duty is studying. I know. Since I quited the job, I have read many books, kept my mind calm, and satisfied with studying (though I should do more lol).
I didn't know how I hate working only for money. I eagered to travel, so I missed QOL of daily days in those days. I don't think my effort was not worth, but what should I do now?

"To find a new job which is related to my interest and work a few days a week to secure rest days for pleasure and studying" is ideal, but there are few works to fill up it.

Now I plan to work as a proctoring of TOEIC and practice exams a few a month and find other jobs in spring vacation. ( I recommend working for a tax office in March;))

I think students should manage own money to do what they want to, but I feel how difficult it is.
I wanna overcome this frustration somehow by myself and improve QOL.

What is "happiness" to me?

I feel happinss when people tell what they love to me with enthusiasm.
Though I also like to listen a constracted story calmly, I prefer a passionate person.
I think they take me as a friend who is worth telling.
If I cannot relax to talk about my deep strong emotion for what I love, I chat about harmless topics. I guess others also do that.
Therefore, when I can listen other's dreams or love for something, I become really happy :)

One more!
I like to remember what I did today at night. I enjoy the time alone and tell them to my sister and listen her story. My sisters like to talk very much. Therefore we talk everytime...lol sometimes, it can be my outlet. So I thank her.

Anyway, I'm happy because my family and friends are healthy. I love them and they love me. That is the most important thing to be happy for me.

repos de la nuit

Repos de la nuit (repose at night) is a picture by Alfons Mucha, a Czech painter. He became famous in Frence. Therefore, the picture name is French.
I love this picture very much because I can relax when I see it.
In addition, I think this picture describes how I love night.

At first, I like taking a bath (I'm happy to live in Japan, which has onsen culture). After enjoying bath time, I rest and look upon a dark sky. I think this moment is the best time for me to think about something deeply and positively. Though I forget unwelcome things which occured in a day during bathing, I become more composed. Then, I go to bed and have good sleep. I like this process.
I'm not beautiful like a woman of the picture, neither do I dream with a rapt smile. But I think I know her temper.

I like Mucha cause women of his works are always full of life.
This woman is also shining even if she only reposing with ease.
I wonder how he saw women and how he is. When I meet favorite works(books and paints), I tend to think about authors or painters. Then, I wish I could see the world in their ways at least once.

marriage hunting

I take a class of "Sociology of the family" in this term.

The last class is about recently marriage hunting in Asian countries.

There are two hypothesises about why young people cannot get married.

1. Women who want to keep working after marriage don't want to get married.

2. They cannot find partner who satisfy with own request. Those who think wife stays at home and husband work outside cannot realize their plan because the husband cannot earn enough money to support his family.

Those two are both supported, and the problem come from work system.

Yet, I think money is not a main problem. There are many other causes, but I think the crux is people aim too high. If husband cannot enough money, wife should continue working.

Social system doesn't change easily. We have to change the way of thinking to survive the world and to have family.

but...I became to be afraid of my future even if I was still young! ;ω;　

What are my greatest strengths and weaknesses?

I think my greatest strengths are...

・to be absorbed in something

My interest is likely to change, but I am completely fascinated with each one.

Of course, some are remained as my hobby. I am looking for new interest every day.

・to respect and love many people

I think to love is more difficult than to envy.

When I am pessimistic about own life, I cannot love something nice or admirable person.

Yet, now I can. I think it is an evidence of being positive.

・to have good relationship with family and friends

I am very happy to live supported by them.

I believe I also support them somehow.

On the other hand, my weaknesses are...

・not to speak to new person lol

My family say I am pretend to be a quiet shy girl in front of new people.

Of course, it's not true. Just I cannot but, I think I don't have to try too hard to be friendly.

・not to try hard to do what I don't want to do

I cannot have interests in what I have to do. I need a chance to like them to accomplish them.

・to depend too much on old friends

I have old friends. We were brought up together, and now they all live in Tokyo. When something bad happens to me, I suddenly tell it and meet them to get some advice. However, we are almost adult now. I think I have to be independent of them a little bit.

It is interesting to think about my strengths and weaknesses. We tend to think only about weaknesses. I am glad to find my good points :) and want to improve weaknesses little by little.

Strange case of Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde

Last week, I read Strange case of Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde by Robers Louis Stevenson, an English novelist. I think you already know the story because it is so famous.

The theme of the story is "a dual personality." Dr. Jekyll transformed himself into Mr.Hyde by medicine he found. Dr. Jekyll was looked as a kind and admirable person, but Mr.Hyde was looked as brutal and violent one. Being Mr. Hyde was to open mind for him. He enjoyed this secret for a while, but he became not to control this change. He couldn't keep being Dr.Jekyll.

To afraid to be exposed the secret, he committed suicide and left letter which the secret was written in.

Sometimes, I want to read such a dark but understandable story. Dr. Jekyll was a weak person who depended on the medicine to disclose his dark aspect of his personality. However, I think we people repress vicious mind by common sense or own honor like Dr. Jekyll hadn't known yet the medicine. Finally, he could not be Mr. Hyde completely and wanted to leave truth to his old friend. After all, it's difficult to let own heart decide completely. Men hardly prepare themselves not to be loved by others, and the mind enable us to balance with reason.

What is the most precious thing in my life?

It is an experience in this summer.I traveled Europe for a month to go to museums and theaters.
It was the first time to do all by myself.
I earned money from last year, decided destinations, and realised my ideal trip.

During the trip, I felt really freedom. All people were strangers! All I did was to think how to enjoy now!I saw many beautiful things, ate good food, and met lovely people!
Of course, sometimes I had troubles, but I was helped by strangers almost times.
I couldn't speak English fluently, but people tried to understand me. Even if they cannot speak English, they tried to communicate with me. I moved a lot.

By the way, since I came to Tokyo, I became to dislike people a little.
Many people don't think about strange people. They like cell-phones and use them all time. Many people's faces are expressionless. I also saw these faces in Milan. why?
I found that QOL was one of my theme in academic research.

When I felt sadness in the trip, I noticed the importance of friends supported me in daily life.
Actually, I didn't think I became sad because I had to mail to family every day and I was used to do something alone. I wanted to talk with unexpected friends. It was surprised me. They were more essential people than i expected. lol

Anyway, my dried mind were moistened by the trip. I noticed and moved a lot.
I wanna go to somewhere I haven't been in next year.

The twelfth night

Yesterday, I read "The twelfth night" by Shakespeare.

The story is a simple comedy.
Twins separated by a ship accident are very resemble even if they are a boy and girl. After the accident each one think the another is dead. The girl disguised herself as a boy serves a lord and fall in love with him, but have to help the lord's love. The lord loves a countess. The countess loves the disguised girl. Love triangle! However, finally, twins can meet again. In addition, they can make two couple, the girl and the lord, and the boy and the countess. Happy end!

I could expect the end of the story from beginning.
Main story is very easy and impossible, not so amusing.
Yet, a fool served the countess and the lord was interesting.
His saying was deep and most difficult to understand the inside meaning.
I will read this book again to read it.

I read Shakespeare's works in Japanese. I heard that original his English is beautiful and fascinating, but too difficult to read at least for me.
At first I will read his books in Japanese to grasp these stories, select one, and try to read in English spending enough time.

My name

As you already know, my name is Meiko(芽生子).
I was named by my father.
When I was an elementary school student, I asked him the meaning of the name.

He said...
1. He wanted to make his children's initials same. My older sister's name is Moyuko(萌由子).
Therefore, my initial was decided on M. H.
2. He wanted to use Chinese character included "Kusa-kannmuri."
Usually, Kusa-kannmuri meams nature. He wanted his children to live naturaly and calmly.

Finally, he hit upon my name.
He hoped that I lived freshly and powerful like a hard sprout through my life.

By the way, the meanings of my sister's names are connected.
3.Moyuko 萌由子 means "bursting into leaf."(compared with mine, emphasized green leaf)
2.Meiko 芽生子　means "sprouting bud."
1.Mariko 蒔李子　means "seeding." (only seeding but with hope to bear fruits)

All my sister's like own name and thank father for his sense of naming!
Anyway, I want to be a person like one my parents hoped long long ago...lol

Who am I? How would I answer that question?

As I mentioned in my 10×10 presentation, the keyword to describe me are Roku (my lovely dog), musicals, and traveling.

I cannot remember what I was and what my family was before I met Roku.
I think I was noticed selfless love by him. He cannot live without our care, and love. Of course, he doesn't have a blood relationship to us. Yet, he is too lovely to made us the care troublesome. After he came, my family got more harmonious. Also I became warmer than before. I think to love own children is similar to love him.

Musicals and traveling make me feel alive. They make me emotional. I like them very much, but sometimes, I think I am a very small poor person. I think I cannot be satisfied by daily own life. Therefore I go to see musicals or travel to escape from reality...? Anyway... I love them. That's all.

I know I am easy to be absorbed in the story of books and movies. I willing to do so because it is muci more interesting than to see critically and cynically. However, I don't think I'm not optimist or dreamer. I am not so girly person.

Anyway, I hope you know me and I know you as we talk with.

Have a nice dream.

Undine

I like reading a book. Recently I read "Undine" written by Jean Giraudoux.

The story of the book is Undine, an elf of water, foll in love with Hans, a man. They get married soon, but Hans betray her. However, before their marriage Undine make a promise with a king of the elf that Hans have to be killed if Hans desert her. She notice he would betray, but she still love him. Therefore, she tries to betray him before he do. Yet, elfs cannot lie like men can. At last, his betray is exposed by the king of the elf, Hans have to die and Undine have to be forgotten aboout him. Hans realizes her love again before dying, but too late.

The two obvious differences between elfs and men is, if they can lie and if they can erase a failure. Elfs cannot lie but can erase a failure, but man can lie but cannot erase the past. It is too difficult to live obedient in men world. Moreover, men make mistakes and shoulder those forever.
During reading, I couldn't stand a foolishness of Hans. At same time, I thought I could not behave like Undine. It was too pitiful for me to watch her. She was too pure. Hans is an example of men.

I like to read classic books like this. I can understand many people, especially girls, like pure love stories. Simultaneously, I know many of them don't believe that these can be realized. Just dream a little bit, then we live in this men world.

Nice to meet you

Hi, I'm Meiko.
I'm... a member of LAMBS, from Fukushima, live in Itabashi-ku with my sister.
I love... my dog, musicals, movies, travels.
Nice to meet you!

Then, the first topic is "why did I decide to take this class?"

At first, I like to write something, especially a dialy. Writing helps me to think about complicated things deeply and easily. In addition, written-ins can be remaind for a long time. It is interesting to read them again in a future. However, I don't want to keep dialy everyday because I'm lazy. I want to keep dialy when something is happend only. How about academic writings...I don't like it so much. To write them, I have to read many souces and think about how I can persuad readers...etc. If I have enough interests in a topic and storong opinion to descrive, it's very interesting work. But not always. I learned choosing topic was the most important thing to keep writing. When I looked all topics of SE classes, it looked interesting to think and write about myself. I think about myself in daily life maybe like other people do. However I haven't seen people meet together and think about themselves in class. What will happen in this class? I'm really interested in that. That's the reason to take this class.

My blog title "repos de la nuit" is a name of my favorite picture of Mucha.
Maybe I will write this blog at night. I want to do that like Mucha's work, relax and calm.