CA in Sapporo

Frustration with MoodleBuddy

2012-01-15T19:20:00.000+09:00

Because there was no MoodleBuddy number on my profile this morning, I wrote a private email to one of the instructors:

Thank you for posting these, Dr. Smirnova. Yesterday I saw MoodleBuddy 15 on my profile, but it is not there today, and my name is not in Group 15 or any of the groups.

I'd appreciate your help!

Since there was no response to that, I started a new topic on the course support forum entitled MoodleBuddy and posted the following message:

In response to the message: “If you access profile, you will find your Moodle Buddy team number. It will look like this: MoodleBuddy10, for example.”

Once we know our MoodleBuddy number, how do we find the two other participants with the same number? I have been looking for instructions about how to do that but don't find any.

Incidentally, when I accessed my profile last night (Japan time), I recall seeing MoodleBuddy15, but now I cannot see it listed. Where specifically is the MoodleBuddy number located?

Appreciate any/all help!

CA in snowy Sapporo

There was zero response to that thread. Then one of the instructors appeared on Chatroll, so I was excited, thinking that I'd now have a chance to get my answer. Here's the ensuing conversation:

Jan 15 2012, 2:51 PM

CAinSapporo: Last night before I went to bed, I saw MoodleBuddy 15 on my profile, but it's not there now and I'm not in Group 15.

Jan 15 2012, 2:51 PM

CAinSapporo: Can you help me with that? I only have a few more hours that I can do any of the course activities here in Japan.

Jan 15 2012, 2:58 PM

Nellie Deutsch: Hi CAinSapporo, you can view your Moodle Buddy by going into your profile. Have you tried that?

Jan 15 2012, 3:02 PM

CAinSapporo: Please look at what I wrote above: “ Last night before I went to bed, I saw MoodleBuddy 15 on my profile, but it's not there now and I'm not in Group 15.”

Jan 15 2012, 3:05 PM

CAinSapporo: Hello??

Jan 15 2012, 3:06 PM

CAinSapporo: I'm also curious as to why the groups were available for us to view previously, and now they're hidden from our view.

Jan 15 2012, 3:07 PM

CAinSapporo: Hello??

Welcome to Moodle for Teachers 2012 EVO!

Jan 15 2012, 3:26 PM

CAinSapporo: I guess I'm here all alone now. Bye.

Finally, in further frustration, I posted this to (what was now) my own private forum:

I looked at a couple of other profiles, and they had a MoodleBuddy number after Group. I also found the lists of groups at this link: http://www.integrating-technology.org/mod/forum/view.php?f=2326 and didn't see my name. Am I being excluded for some reason? Wahhhh!

Because group #15 has only 2 people, and I'm fairly sure that's where I belong, I'm going to contact those two people. It's already Sunday evening in Japan (although it's only 5:15 a.m. in Toronto where the course was set up), so I won't have time to get into actually using the materials, yet. In fact, if I click on the link to access them, they are still hidden. With a very full week coming up - my last full week of university courses this semester - I'm not going to be able to accomplish anything until next weekend, at the earliest.

VoiceThread Fail

2012-01-10T19:17:00.000+09:00

What makes you special and unique?

2011-09-21T11:18:00.003+09:00

What would be YOUR answer to this?

Experiencing 9/11 in Japan

2011-09-11T11:29:00.032+09:00

I heard a click on my answering machine at about 11:10 in the evening here in Sapporo, Japan. I never get calls that late, so I turned it on to listen to the message. It was a friend in Sapporo who simply said, “Turn on your TV.” Because I didn't have cable at the time, it was rather difficult for me to understand what was happening or the implications. Maybe for that reason I was able to go to bed and sleep.

The whole next day (9/12 in Japan) I had the TV on and little by little grasped the horror of the situation. I had no classes that day and was alone in my apartment, so had no one to talk to about it. That evening I went to my Japanese chorus, and the everyday chatter was going on as though nothing had happened. I slumped into a corner, and a couple of friends came over to see if I was all right. They had no concept of the impact it had on me - or on the whole world, for that matter. I can recall mumbling something to the effect of, “It's war,” and they more or less pooh-poohed me, saying it wasn't that bad.

Somehow I made it through rehearsal (I stayed because we had a concert a week later, but I didn't have the breath to sing very well). At the end I asked the conductor if I could say a prayer. Being Catholic, he agreed. I gave it in English, so few probably understood, but it was basically a prayer for peace. No one responded or talked to me afterwards. In fact, after that a former member - an Alto - gave the announcement of her engagement and forthcoming wedding, and was surrounded by people congratulating her. I was overwhelmed by loneliness.

The next day I had private classes, and one student in my afternoon class who had lived in the U.S. came over and hugged me as soon as I came in the room. That was the first time I was able to cry. Finally there was someone who understood!

A few days later I got an email in Japanese from my chorus. We were going to add a piece at the beginning of the concert the following week, and some suggestions were given. I didn't know the names of the pieces in Japanese so asked my private students what they were. One was to the tune of what I know as “What a friend we have in Jesus,” although the words in Japanese are not the same. I immediately vetoed that one and suggested “Amazing Grace,” which is what we ended up singing. When we got to the words, “Through many dangers, toils and snares I have already come; 'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far and Grace will lead me home,” I nearly broke down. American friends who were in the audience later told me they were weeping.

Somehow I managed to make it through the concert on 9/19. It took every ounce of energy that I had. Afterwards, I collapsed, sobbing, in front of my locker in the dressing room. No one came over. The other Sopranos were slowly changing into their street clothes and leaving. It was a desperately lonely time.

A few weeks later, one of the Sopranos took me aside and talked to me quietly about family members she had lost in the Hanshin earthquake in Japan on January 17, 1995. She had never mentioned it to me before and tears came to her eyes as she talked. What it made me realize is how private the process of grieving is in Japan.

The Clutter Is All in Your Mind

2011-09-03T17:54:00.002+09:00

Cathy Anderson's PowerPoint presentation on clutter was posted by a friend just when I needed it the most!

The Clutter is all in Your Mind

View more presentations from Cathy Anderson

I succeeded in filling two cardboard boxes with recycled teaching material. Having spent days, months, and years accumulating and organizing it for use in various level classes, it was not easy to just throw all that hard work into a box. Much of it, however, has been around for several years because either I've refined the material and put it on my computer, or I have easy access to similar - or better - material on the Internet. In fact, I wasn't even sure what I'd come across in the piles I went through.

I didn't enjoy having to remove all the staples, but I wanted to be sure it was all perfectly recyclable. The effort was also worth it because I have that much more office space now (a luxury in Japan), and the clutter was taking up mental space as well. It's great to feel a bit more clear!

Reach Out and Touch Someone - Literally!

2011-08-15T10:42:00.001+09:00

“The real action of compassion . . . is touch.” Dacher Keltner, in Hands On Research: The Science of Touch, gives some profound insight as to not only the therapeutic value of touch but also its social functions. He reports briefly on an experiment showing that the emotions communicated through touch are more easily identified than those from facial and vocal expressions, although apparently this is more true with people of the same gender.

Every time I return to the U.S., I'm so aware of how much more hugging and touching in general - such as pats on the hand or the back - I experience than in Japan. I often am starving for touch and have to wonder how much that has contributed to my gaining a great deal of weight over the past 15 years.

Fortunately I have my cats, who demand a great deal of touching, but it's not exactly reciprocal. Even though I have become more keenly aware of the lack of touch in my daily life, through this article and video, I can't exactly run out and start touching the people I come into contact with. However, at least I can make an appointment with a massage therapist and make sure that I get more healing touch from massage in my life.

U.S. Lags in School Lunch Makeovers

2011-03-20T11:34:00.000+09:00

U.S. Lags in School Lunch Makeovers
The photos in this article show typical school lunches in the U.S. compared with those in other countries. It's difficult finding the vegetables in most of the U.S. school lunches. Also, is the chocolate milk served in order to get the kids to drink milk? I wonder how much sugar it contains.

The worst of it is that children will grow up thinking this is “food.” One of the most important areas where people are lacking in education is nutrition. What a perfect opportunity a well-balanced nutritious school lunch could provide, with the added benefit of less obesity. Go, Michelle!

The New York Philharmonic Honors the People of Japan

2011-03-18T16:32:00.000+09:00

A moving message from the New York Philharmonic to the people of Japan. On the evening of this recording, the orchestra played Requiem for Strings by Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu (1930-1996), both to honor the departed and as a tribute to Japan's optimism and positive spirit.

The following is a beautiful rendition of the Requiem for Strings showing the ceramic artwork of Carlo Zauli (1926-2002), a native of Faenza, Italy, who was heavily influenced by both traditional and modern Japanese ceramic art.

Al Jazeera English: Live Stream

2011-03-17T17:14:00.001+09:00

One of the most comprehensive, reliable sources for news, devoid of the sensationalism one finds in certain other international networks.

Al Jazeera English: Live Stream - Watch Now - Al Jazeera English

Google Person Finder & Emergency Information

2011-03-16T11:07:00.000+09:00

The Google Crisis Site includes information in English on emergency information, transportation, shelters, and places to donate. There are boards for posting about missing people.

A Simple Visual of Nuclear Reactors

2011-03-14T13:22:00.000+09:00

For those who need a simple explanation of nuclear reactors, this short video shows very clearly how they work. This is one educators might find of use.

The “Shindo” Scale Used for Earthquakes in Japan

2011-03-14T12:44:00.000+09:00

I cannot attest as to the validity of the following information, but it explains fairly clearly the difference between the “Shindo” scale used in Japan and the Richter scale. This was useful for me because I've never been able to understand why an earthquake reported on Japanese TV as a “2” felt more like a “3” or “4” to me.

Japan experiences about 1,000 earthquakes each year of a magnitude sufficient to be felt. While the rest of the world uses the Richter scale to measure earthquakes, the Japan Meteorological Agency uses a seismic intensity scale - used also in Taiwan - known as the shindo (literally 'tremor') scale. Whereas the Richter scale measures a quake at its epicenter, the 'shindo scale' measures it at a specific location where the quake is felt. Therefore the effects of a single earthquake have a variable 'shindo scale' reading depending how far the affected area is from the epicenter.

A Shindo Scale 1 quake is the lightest, while a 7 is the most severe.
In detail, the points on the scale are defined as follows:

0: Goes unnoticed by humans. Speed of shock waves on the ground is less than 0.008 m/s².

1: Barely noticable, but only if inside. Ground speed of 0.008–0.025 m/s².

2: Noticable if inside, and sufficient to wake some sleepers. Ground speed of 0.025–0.08 m/s².

3: Felt by most people if inside. Sufficient to inspire fear in some people. Ground speed of 0.08–0.25 m/s².

4: Sufficient to inspire fear in many people, wake most sleepers, and prompt some people to seek escape. Ground speed of 0.25–0.80 m/s².

5−: Prompts most people to seek escape, but strong enough to prevent some people from moving. Ground speed of 0.80–1.40 m/s².

5+: Strong enough to cause the collapse of a few unreinforced concrete-block walls and gravestones. Driving difficult or impossible. Ground speed of 1.40–2.50 m/s².

6−: Will cause collapse of wall tiles and windowpanes in some buildings. Ground speed of 2.50–3.15 m/s².

6+: In many buildings, wall tiles and windowpanes are damaged and fall. Strong enough to cause the collapse of some unreinforced concrete-block walls and gravestones. Ground speed of 3.15–4.00 m/s².

7: Wall tiles and windowpanes are damaged and fall in most buildings. Even reinforced concrete-block walls may collapse. Ground speed of over 4 m/s².

Note that you can click on the title of this block to go to the link, but it also has information that might be offensive to some (e.g., love hotels).

Japanese News Earthquake Vocabulary

2011-03-14T12:37:00.001+09:00

A resident of Japan has posted this useful list on his blog. This is especially useful for friends who are working as translators or trying to understand the information in Japanese. He has a number of other useful links about everyday life in Japan. Thanks, Harvey!

木造住宅	もくぞうじゅうたく	homes built of wood
中層建物	ちゅうそうたてもの	a mid-sized high rise building
空港	くうこう	airport
港	みなと	port
港周辺	みなとしゅうへん	the area around the port
倒壊した家	とうかいしたいえ	collapsed houses
倒壊家屋	とうかいかおく	collapsed houses
建物の屋根	たてもののやね	the roofs of buildings
瓦礫	がれき	tiles and pebbles, debris

Energy

計画停電	けいかくていでん	planned power outage
核燃料	かくねんりょう	nuclear fuel	Link
核分裂	かくぶんれつ	atomic fission	Link
電力不足	でんりょくぶそく	lack of power
停電	ていでん	power outage
発電所	はつでんしょ	power plant
原発	げんはつ	nuclear power plant
東京電力福島第１原子力発電所１号機	とうきょうでんりょくふくしまだいいちげんしりょくはつでんしょいちごうき	TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power Company) Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant No. 1 reactor
燃料棒	ねんりょうぼう	fuel rod (for a nuclear power plant)
揚水発電所	ようすいはつでんしょ	hydraulic power plant
電力会社	でんりょくがいしゃ	power company
節電	せつでん	energy conservation, to conserve energy
供給不足	きょうきゅうぶそく	insufficient supply
原子炉を冷やす機能	げんしろをひやすきのう	the function to cool a nuclear reactor
格納容器	かくのうようき	storage container (refers to the steel container housing the reactor)
容器を海水で冷やす	ようきをかいすいでひやす	cool the container with seawater
放射線	ほうしゃせん	radiation (radioactive rays)
放射能	ほうしゃのう	radioactivity
放射生物質	ほうしゃせいぶっしつ	radioactive materials
発電施設	はつでんしせつ	power plant facilities

Rescue and damage

孤立	こりつ	to be isolated	Link
安否確認	あんぴかくにん	confirmation of safety	Link
安否不明	あんぴふめい	unknown whether (they are) safe or not
安否確認が進まず	あんぴかくにんがすすまず	making no progress in regards to confirming the safety of…
炉心溶融	ろしんようゆう	core meltdown	Link
除染	じょせん	decontaminate
爆発	ばくはつ	explosion
爆発音	ばくはつおん	sound of an explosion
水素爆発	すいそばくはつ	hydrogen explosion
壊滅的な被害	かいめつてきなひがい	devastating damage
救助ヘリコプター	きゅうじょヘリコプター	rescue helicopter
救助を待っている	きゅうじょをまっている	waiting to be rescued
被災者	ひさいしゃ	victims/sufferers
死者	ししゃ	casualties
被害	ひがい	damage
不明	ふめい	unclear (missing people) 死者・不明1400人超 (more than 1,400 dead or missing)
行方不明者	ゆくえふめいしゃ	missing persons
負傷	ふしょう	injured
軽傷者	けいしょうしゃ	people with light injuries
遺体	いたい	dead bodies / corpses
被曝	ひばく	to be exposed to radiation
避難範囲	ひなんはんい	evacuation area
避難住民	ひなんじゅうみん	evacuated residents
救出活動	きゅうしゅつかつどう	rescue operations

Nature

震度	しんど	The strength of an earthquake (shindo, Japanese scale 0 to 7)
震度６弱	しんどろくじゃく	About shindo 6
大震災	だいしんさい	Great earthquake
マグニチュード	マグニチュード	Magnitude
震源	しんげん	The hypocenter (of an earthquake)
揺れ	ゆれ	to shake
地震	じしん	earthquake
余震	よしん	aftershock
津波	つなみ	tsunami
山崩れ	やまくずれ	landslide
炎	ほのお	flames
白煙	はくえん	white smoke
黒煙	こくえん	black smoke
海水	かいすい	seawater
海面	かいめん	sea surface
内陸	ないりく	inland
沿岸部	えんがんぶ	coastal area
水没している	すいぼつしている	to be submerged in water
水没した車	すいぼつしたくるま	submerged cars	Link

Transportation and vehicles

乗用車	じょうようしゃ	passenger cars (regular cars, as opposed to fire trucks, ambulances, etc.)
消防車	しょうぼうしゃ	fire truck
船舶が座礁している	せんぱくがざしょうしている	ships have run aground

Government and organizations

気象庁	きしょうちょう	Meteorological agency
自衛隊	じえいたい	Japan Self Defense Force
国際原子力事象評価尺度	こくさいげんしりょくじしょうひょうかしゃくど	International Nuclear Event Scale (INES)

Place Names

宮城県	みやぎけん	Miyagi prefecture
南三陸町	みなみさんりくまち	minamisanrikumachi (In Miyagi prefecture. Devastate by the tsunami.)
岩手県	いわてけん	Iwate prefecture

Others!

〜が相次いでいる	あいついでいる	blah blah is occurring over and over again
恐れがある	おそれがある	may occur (something negative) e.g., 停電が続く恐れがある the power outage may continue.
半径3キロ	はんけいさんキロ	a radius of 3 kilometers
命を落とす	いのちをおとす	to die (to lose life)
待機	たいき	to wait
状況の把握が難航しており	じょうきょうのはあくがなんこうしており	difficult to understand the (actual) situation	Link
市街地	しがいち	urban areas
拡大する見通し	かくだいするみとおし	expected to increase/expand

Japan Earthquake Information on Facebook

2011-03-14T10:34:00.001+09:00

Several people have mentioned “the” earthquake and “the” tsunami. It needs to be made clear that these are both in the plural. The aftershocks continue, and an earthquake is never *over* in several senses. Of course, there are the rescue and clean up operations that many of you have viewed on TV. Even more, there's the emotional trauma to deal with (see my earlier blog on PTSD). Most of all, there could easily be another sizable earthquake. Japan experiences over 1,000 earthquakes a year that can be felt! Most of them are not large enough to cause serious damage. However, there is concern about more earthquakes occurring in the near future on top of what people have already experienced on Friday.

I'm particularly grateful for Facebook right now because a large number of friends have been checking my page there. This has enormously helpful because it's been impossible for me to respond to all the messages and inquiries that I've received. I apologize for being abrupt with those who have used chat to contact me, but there simply hasn't been much time to talk one-on-one.

I was surprised this morning to find that Facebook is sending out special messages to its members in Japan [see below]. This has been an invaluable service because, now that electricity is being “rationed,” it's essential to get out information about blackouts to those who are not fluent in Japanese. Of course, the irony is that, if one is in an area where there is a power outage, they won't be able to access Facebook anyway - except possibly through cell phones, iPads, and the like.

In Sapporo, we're fortunate that we have electricity (we'd freeze without it!) as well as enough food and other essentials. It seems strange to have life going on as normal, knowing what others in the country are experiencing.

Japan Earthquake Information - Updated Mar 14, 8:05AM (Japan time)

Scheduled Blackout
There will be a scheduled blackout (power outage) starting the morning of 3/14 in Tokyo, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Gunma, Chiba, Kanagawa, Saitama, Yamanashi, and Shizuoka.
Areas will be divided into 5 groups and each group will experience about 3 hours of power outage.

Please refer to the TEPCO Homepage (as of now, the list is only provided in Japanese) to find out which group you are in and what time the power outage will occur in your group.

Train companies have announced that there will be irregular operation, including out of service hours. Summary here.

JR | Tokyo Metro | Toei Subway/Bus | Tokyu | Odakyu | Keio | Tobu | Keikyu |Keisei

Major out of services are: Tokaido Line (all day), Yokosuka Line (all day), Yokohama Line (all day), Odakyu will only operate between Kyodo to Shinjyuku (all day), Keio will only operate between Chofu and Shinjyuku (during morning and evening rush hours).

The Facebook website will not be affected by this blackout.

About this box: Facebook uses this box to provide information to foreigners and visitors in Japan for the duration of the current crisis.

Diagnosing and Coping with PTSD

2011-03-13T14:26:00.000+09:00

A friend posted this summary on his Facebook page about post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The source for the information is:

http://www.medicinenet.com/posttraumatic_stress_disorder/page4.htm

The following three groups of symptom criteria are required to assign the diagnosis of PTSD:

Recurrent re-experiencing of the trauma (for example, troublesome memories, flashbacks that are usually caused by reminders of the traumatic events, recurring nightmares about the trauma and/or dissociative reliving of the trauma)

Avoidance to the point of having a phobia of places, people, and experiences that remind the sufferer of the trauma or a general numbing of emotional responsiveness

Chronic physical signs of hyperarousal, including sleep problems, trouble concentrating, irritability, anger, poor concentration, blackouts or difficulty remembering things, increased tendency and reaction to being startled, and hypervigilance (excessive watchfulness) to threat.

How can people cope with PTSD?

Some ways that are often suggested for PTSD patients to cope with this illness include:

• learning more about the disorder as well as

• talking to friends, family, professionals, and PTSD survivors for support. Joining a support group may be helpful.

Other tips include

• reducing stress by using relaxation techniques (for example, breathing exercises, positive imagery), actively participating in treatment as recommended by professionals, increasing positive lifestyle practices (for example,

• exercise, healthy eating, distracting oneself through keeping a healthy work schedule if employed, volunteering whether employed or not), and

• minimizing negative lifestyle practices like substance abuse, social isolation, working to excess, and self-destructive or suicidal behaviors.

[Thanks, Steven!]

Kill the Bill!

2011-03-01T13:16:00.000+09:00

I appreciated the detailed explanation of the different clauses included in Wisconsin Governor Walker's “budget repair” bill given by one of my friends, Patrick Flynn, Vice President of Franchise Development (Midwest Region). For those in Wisconsin who are focused on only certain bits and pieces that you may agree or disagree with, it's important to know the whole bill would impact your life and the lives of your children and grandchildren.

1. ELIMINATING MEDICAID: The Budget Repair Bill includes a little-known provision that would put complete control of the state’s Medicaid program, known as BadgerCare, in the hands of the state’s ultra-conservative Health and Human Services Secretary Dennis Smith. Smith would have the authority to “to override state Medicaid laws as [he] sees fit and institute sweeping changes” including reducing benefits and limiting eligibility. Ironically, during the 1990s it was Republicans, especially former Gov. and Bush HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson, who helped develop BadgerCare into one of the country’s most innovative and generous Medicaid programs. A decade later, a new generation of radical Republicans is hoping to destroy one of Wisconsin’s “success stories.”

2. POWER PLANT PRIVATIZATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL NEGLECT: The same budget bill calls for a rapid no-bid “firesale” of all state-owned power plants. One progressive blogger called the proposal “a highlight reel of all of the tomahawk dunks of neo-Gilded Age corporatism: privatization, no-bid contracts, deregulation, and naked cronyism” and suggested that the provision will open the way for large, politically connected corporations, like Koch Industries, to buy up the state’s power plants on the cheap. While it’s unclear whether corporations would be interested in buying the plants, a similar proposal was vetoed six years a go by Gov. Jim Doyle (D), who called the plan fiscally and environmentally irresponsible. Many of Wisconsin’s power plants are in violation of federal clean air regulations and desperately need to be upgraded and cleaned up — not dumped into the private sector.

3. DANGEROUS DRINKING WATER: Republican lawmakers have introduced bills in both the Senate and the House which would repeal a rule requiring municipal governments to disinfect their water. Conservatives have said that the clean water rule — which went into effect in December — is simply too expensive. Yet the rule only affects 12 percent of municipalities and the price may be worth it. In 1993, 104 people died and 400,000 fell sick when the Milwaukee water supply became infected. Even two decades later, the Environmental Protection Agency Advisory Board notes that 13 percent of acute gastro-intestinal illnesses in municipalities that don’t disinfect their water supplies are the result of dirty water. Municipalities can keep their water clean for as low as $10,000 per well — but apparently for the Wisconsin GOP that is too high a price to pay to keep citizens safe from deadly microorganisms.

4. DESTROYING WETLANDS: In January, Walker’s proposed regulatory reform bill exempted a parcel of wetland owned by a Republican donor from water quality standards. But the exemption was more than just an embarrassing giveaway to a GOP ally: environmental groups believe the bill’s special provision would actually affect the entire county, eliminating public hearings on proposed wetland development, short-circuiting approval of development projects, and disrupting the region’s water system.

5. FISCAL IRRESPONSIBILITY: Walker signed a bill this week requiring a 2/3 supermajority in the legislature to pass any tax increase. Republican lawmakers are now reportedly considering a constitutional amendment that would make the rule permanent. A similar constitutional amendment in California has been called the “source of misery” of that state’s crippling budget crisis and has forced lawmakers to “gut public education, slash social services and health care programs, close prisons, and lay off record numbers of public employees.” While claiming to “make a commitment to the future instead of [choosing] dire consequences for our children” Walker and GOP lawmakers are instead putting generations of Wisconsinites in a “fiscal strait-jacket.”

6. DISENFRANCHISING VOTERS: This week, Republican lawmakers moved forward on a bill that would require voters to present a photo ID from the DMV at the polls, making it significantly more difficult for the elderly, the disabled, college students, and rural residents to participate in elections. While Republican lawmakers insist the bill is necessary to prevent voter fraud, there have been almost no documented cases of fraudulent voting in the state. Instead, the Wisconsin State Journal writes, the GOP bill is going “overboard in limiting ballot access in a state proud of its long history of high participation in elections.”

7. CUTTING JOBS, LOSING THE FUTURE: Last fall, Walker killed an $810 billion federally funded high-speed rail project, forcing the Transportation Department to pull its funding. Walker’s decision killed 130,000 expected jobs and forced the Spanish company Talgo to close its Milwaukee factory and layoff its 40 person staff. A spokeswoman for the company told The Daily Reporter that “the state’s decision to back away from the high-speed rail project sends a terrible message to businesses considering locating in the state.”

8. STIFLING INNOVATION: In late January, Walker introduced a bill that would ban wind-powered energy from Wisconsin and exacerbate the state’s dependence on out-of-state coal. If passed, it’s estimated that the law would immediately eliminate $1.8 billion in new wind power investments and jeopardize eleven currently proposed wind projects. After a public outcry earlier this month, Walker’s bill is (for now) dead.

9. “NAKED POWER GRAB”: Earlier this month in a party-line vote, the legislature ceded “extraordinary control” of the state’s rule-making oversight process to the governor. Walker now has complete power to draft agency rules which the legislature must then either approve or reject. The law gives Walker the power to write rules for formerly independent state agencies like the state Departments of Justice and Education — and most ominously the Government Accountability Board, the state’s ethics watchdog.

10. POLITICIZING STATE AGENCIES: A provision in Walker’s budget repair bill would convert thirty-seven state employees from civil servants to political appointees — consolidating his power over state government and expanding his power to “hire, fire and move key employees to carry out his agenda.”
• Allows the state to take out an additional 200 million in loans, putting the state further in debt. (Page 30, Section 63)

• Cuts off all state aid to municipalities. (Page 135 – 136 Section 9211, Page 58, Section 148)

• Cuts off all state aid to public K-12 schools. “About 900 million dollars total” (Page 135 – 136 Section 9211, page 58 Section 148)

• Cuts off all state aid to University Wisconsin Schools. “This will cause the tuition at UW schools to go up 26% over the next two years.” (Page 135 – 136 Section 9211)

• The state will lose 46 million in federal grants to public transit. “The federal government requires that public transit workers have collective bargaining.” (Page 63 – 109 Sections 163- 314)

• Allows the state to take 28 million from Employee Trust Fund. “This is the State Employees' Pension Fund; they will use the money to pay the State's portion of State Employee's Medical and Pension contributions until 2013.” (Page 125, Section 9115)

• In 2013 the State will no longer pay anything toward state employees' Medical and Pension Fund. State employees will be required to pay the entire cost of their Medical and Pension Fund. “Roughly about $1500 per month for each state employee.” (Page 58, Section 62.623)

• Limits the right to collectively bargain for all employees who are not public safety employees (general employees) to the subject of base wages. (Pages 63 – 109, Sections 163- 314)

The Art of Morphing Women in Art

2011-02-26T14:38:00.001+09:00

This incredible piece morphs one work of art into another. As one friend put it, “It amazes me that the faces -- even while morphing -- all remain distinctly feminine and also that many of the face of great art have a high degree of similarity.” My sister simply commented that “This is wow-worthy.”

You make have to click on the link to watch it directly on YouTube, but it's definitely worth watching!

A Singer's Conductor

2011-02-25T09:37:00.001+09:00

Joseph Flummerfelt is the visiting conductor I had the privilege of making music with in Italy. This article does well at explaining why he has been admired and respected by so many over the years: Joseph's Many Colors.

I totally agree with the comment by a former student of his. “One of his natural traits is his ability to inspire and discipline a group. He has an incredible presence in the room, as well as exquisite ears, and of course a comprehensive knowledge of the choral repertoire.” There is magic in the room when Joseph conducts: “He stands on the podium and casts spells from the big book.”

I sincerely hope that I'll be able to experience that magic again some day!

Addiction to Facebook

2011-02-23T18:48:00.000+09:00

How addicted am I to Facebook? I thought the results would be much higher!

Created by Oatmeal

My Religion

2011-02-17T18:53:00.000+09:00

According to the

Spiritual Belief System Selector Quiz

the following are the rankings of my spiritual beliefs. How interesting that Unitarian Universalism should come out on top, since I've been with the UU's since 1965! The New Age is also no surprise. I would have thought that Buddhism would place higher than Hinduism, but generally I think these percentages are in line with my beliefs.

1. Unitarian Universalism (100%)

2. New Age (98%)

3. New Thought (95%)

4. Taoism (87%)

5. Hinduism (86%)

6. Liberal Quakers - Religious Society of Friends (82%)

7. Christian Science Church of Christ, Scientist (79%)

8. Jainism (79%)

9. Neo-Pagan (78%)

10. Mahayana Buddhism (75%)

11. Scientology (71%)

12. Theravada Buddhism (63%)

13. Secular Humanism (56%)

14. Sikhism (56%)

15. Mainline - Liberal Christian Protestant (55%)

16. Orthodox Quaker - Religious Society of Friends (48%)

17. Reform Judaism (42%)

18. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (31%)

19. Non-theist (20%)

20. Baha’i (17%)

21. Jehovah’s Witness (17%)

22. Seventh Day Adventist (17%)

23. Orthodox Judaism (15%)

24. Eastern Orthodox (10%)

25. Islam (10%)

26. Roman Catholic (10%)

27. Mainline - Conservative Christian Protestant (10%)

Note: The site gets low points in terms of spelling and punctuation (e.g., Bahai rather than Baha'i, and a space before the % mark). Also, the list is inconsistent in that it's a mixture of beliefs (Taoism) and believers (Roman Catholic). However, its accuracy was otherwise uncanny.

To My Valentine

2011-02-14T20:02:00.000+09:00

What I Face

2011-01-23T11:49:00.002+09:00

This is a partial listing of what was posted on my Facebook page this morning. For those of my friends not yet on Facebook, for whatever reasons, I'd like to share how much more than a social network it is for me (although it’s definitely great for contacting people and keeping in touch, as well).

Last week in Tucson we saw: "...a white Catholic male Republican judge murdered on his way to greet a Democratic Jewish woman member of Congress, who was his friend. Her life was saved initially by a 20-year-old Mexican-American gay college student, and eventually by a Korean American combat surgeon, and this all was eulogized by our African American President." Allen Ginsberg, Historian

I appreciated this quote posted on one friend's page:

Life is too short to wake up with regrets. So love the people who treat you right. Forget about the ones who don't. Believe everything happens for a reason. If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it.

I also looked through messages from friends living in or visiting Italy (scouting for restaurants and places to sing for this year's Umbrian Serenades), France, Portugal, Yemen, South Africa, Japan (including British and Chinese friends who live here), as well as several from North America. I'm especially enjoying reconnecting with Wheaton Community High School classmates before our 50th (!) reunion in 2012.

Of course, I enjoyed watching the Top 8 episode of So You Think You Can Dance, sharing comments with 3 other armchair judges, scattered around Japan, on our special Facebook list made just for the show's aficionados in Japan.

And, finally, this bit of fun:

How to Own Guns in Japan [sic]

2011-01-09T11:59:00.000+09:00

The following was written in 1995 by a Mr. Masaaki Ishida in response to a question about gun control on a Google groups site. The name is not uncommon in Japan, so I know nothing about Mr. Ishida's background or his expertise in the area. I'm certain, however, that gun control in Japan is much stronger than that in other countries I'm familiar with. I post it here because of its being extremely relevant to what has occurred in the U.S. today (January 8, 2011).

How to Own Guns in Japan
==========================
In Japan there are many people who believe that Japanese shooters at Olympics are policemen or soldiers of Self-Defense Force. Some other people believe that Japanese citizen cannot own guns and people who enjoy shooting have to rent guns at shooting range, and some other people believes that legal gun owners must keep guns in lockers assigned for them at shooting ranges. So, I decided to write short introductory article about gun ownership in Japan.

In Japan, the kind of guns owned by civilian are as follows.
Air Rifle
Hand Rifle
Rifle
Air Pistol (limited to 500 people for sports shooting only)
Pistol (limited to 50 people for sport shooting only)
Shot gun
The purpose to own guns is limited to two, i.e., hunting or sports shooting.
It means we cannot own guns for defense purpose.

The procedure to own the gun is as follows.
Of course, people who use guns in their work (policemen, soldiers, etc.)
don't have to follow the following step for guns used in the job.
The terminology about 'air gun', 'air rifle' follow Japanese custom.
Participation in a lecture at nearby police station
------------------------------------------------------
This is a requisite condition for anyone who tries to own gun.
You go to the police station which is responsible for your address area, and
apply for the lecture on gun regulation for beginners. In case of Tokyo,
entire districts are divided into four blocks, and the actual place to have
the lecture is one police station in the block.
The lecture for beginner is held once in a month, I think.
The lecture starts at 9:00 in Saturday morning, and written examination
follows after lunch. To 20 questions, you have to give at least 14
correct answers. When I had this lecture, two or three people did not
pass among 32 or 33 attendance. This performance was high because usually
80 % of attendants pass the examination. After passing the examination,
a certificate is given and its copy must be submitted whenever you do some
application afterwards. The certificate is valid three years. It means,
after the valid date of the certification, you have to attend a lecture
for gun owners to get the new certificate. This time, no examination is
done.

Air rifle, hand rifle, and shot gun
-------------------------------------
Once you get the certificate of the gun regulation lecture, there are two
different paths depending on what you want to own. Note that you cannot
apply for usual rifles nor pistols at this stage. To own them, you need
further qualification.

A. Air rifle or hand rifle.
People who are not familiar with gun confuses air rifle from
'air soft gun' (or simply 'air gun') which uses plastic bullet and
whose barrel does not have rifling.
In fact, recently it was reported on TV that some members of AUM camped
near by Mt. Fuji and did some military training using 'air rifle' of
AK 47. This report was not correct. What they used must be air soft
  gun shaped like AK 47 or model gun of AK 47.
Hand rifle is unique to Japan. It is actually air pistol, but long
sleeve covers the barrel, and long stock is attached to the grip.
In Japan, ownership of pistol (air or not) is restricted because of
their small size which enables covered transportation. Therefore,
hand rifle was introduced for people who plan to own air hand gun
eventually.
If you want to own air rifle or hand rifle, you can go to a gun shop
with certificate to show to clerks, determine which gun to buy, ask
clerks to write a paper which describe the detail of the gun, and name of
the shop. When you buy a gun not from a shop but from a current owner,
the same paper is needed.
You must be at least 18 years old, or, you need to be over 14
years old and have recommendatory letter from an organization which
governs all official sports organizations.

B. Shot gun.
Prior to go to gun shop, you have to take practical shooting course,
followed by examination. To apply for it, you have to submit a lot
of papers to the police, and it takes a few months until you get the
approval because you and your family who live together are examined.
After the approval, you have the course at a shooting range and pass
it (it is quite easy). Then, you go to a gun shop, determine the gun
to buy, and ask clerks to write the paper.
You need to be at least 20 years old.

After applying for any gun, usually it takes about one month until you get
permission. When you get notification from the police about permission,
you go to the police station to receive license booklet, take it to the
gun shop and receive the gun. Then within two weeks, you have to go to
the police station again with the gun to have it inspected and stumped on
the license.

SB - Small Bore rifle (0.22 caliber, rim-fire)
------------------------------------------------
Since using of 0.22 caliber rifle (both rim-fire and center-fire) for
hunting is prohibited in Japan (probably small animals suitable as targets
of 0.22 caliber live not far from where people live), the only permitted
purpose to own it is for rifle shooting sports. The step to own Small Bore
(rim-fire) rifle is as follows.

A. Become a member of a branch of National Rifle Association of
  Japan, then become a member of N.R.A.J. itself.
I my case, I became a member of Setagaya (one district in Tokyo) area
at first, which means automatic membership of Tokyo branch of N.R.A.J,
then had to wait one year until I was allowed become a member of N.R.A.J
it self. But this term differs with branches.
If you want to just enjoy air rifle, and have no interest in participating
in national wide shooting meet, to stay just as Tokyo branch's member
saves membership fee.

B. Participate in a few hour's lecture by N.R.A.J., and get certification.

C. Participate in at least two shooting meet per year before you apply for SB.

D. Get certification of skill of shooting.
In case of shooting in Standing position, the score of criteria is
300 for S60, and 200 for S40. It is quite easy.

E. By satisfying above A,B,C,D, then you can apply for SB to N.R.A.J.
What you get if you pass the examination is recommendatory letter that
you are suitable for shooter of N.R.A.J., and have potential to become
a shooter for higher level competitions like Olympic.

F. Submit above letter as well as many other papers to the police station.
Like the case of shot gun, it takes a new months until the police
issues a permission to take shooting course in practice.

G. Take a practical shooting course at a shooting range, and get a
certification.

H. Apply for a gun to buy.

LB - Large Bore rifles (center-fire)
--------------------------------------
There are two purposes you can use LB, one is sports shooting under
control of N.R.A.J., and the other is hunting.

A. For rifle shooting as sports, the requisite to apply for it are
as follows.
a. It is over one year since you have owned a SB.
b. You have already participated in 2 shooting meet per year with SB.
You apply for recommendatory letter to N.R.A.J., and follow the similar
steps (without practice course in a shooting range) as SB.
It looks only bolt action rifles can be allowed.

B. For hunting purpose, you must have continuous 10 years' history to
have own shot gun or SB. You simply apply for a gun to the police
station.

Air pistol
------------
The requisite condition to apply for air pistol is almost the same
as SB except that certification of more skill in shooting is
required (in case of AR S60, score of over 510).
Since the number of owners of air pistol is limited up to 500,
you usually wait one year or more (it means you wait someone
fails to update the license) until you get recommendatory letter.
After getting recommendatory letter from N.R.A.J, follow the same
procedure as other kinds of guns to apply for the license.

Pistol
--------
To apply for pistol, you need quite excellent skill of air pistol
(in case of AP60, score of over 555) to apply for pistol.
This time, the number of people is limited to 50, but because of
so hard criteria, I heard two years ago that only 30 people owned it.

Permission for ammunition
---------------------------
Anybody can buy bullets for air rifle, hand rifle, and air pistol without
restraint. For ammunition which contains powder, you have to get
another paper from the police.
On the permission paper, based on which kind of guns you have, the kind
of ammunition gun shops can sell to the owner of guns are listed as well
as total maximum amount. This paper is valid for one year, and, if my
memory is correct, the maximum number of ammunition the police allow to
a paper is 4,000.

Because of the law, the maximum number of ammunition you can keep
at home is limited to 800, and you must keep them in a specially designed
locker which is different from gun locker.

Updating the license
----------------------
The license of gun is a booklet like passport.  [emphasis mine]
Your name, photograph, address, birth date, license booklet No. and its
issue date, etc. are in the first page.
Then pages for up to 12 guns follow (so, if you own more than 12 guns,
you have several license booklets).
In the last page, there is a holder to insert the permission paper to buy
ammunition.
The license for each gun is valid three years (more correctly, until
the third birthday after you get the license).
It means, if you have three guns which you owned in three continuous years,
you have to update the license of different gun every year. If you have
three guns owned in the same year or owned in interval of multiple of three
years, you can update them in the same year. Here, 'year' means not
calendar year, but a interval between two birthdays of the owner, i.e.,
if you buy two guns, one a day before the birthday and the other one day
after the birth day, their licenses are updated in the different years.

To keep the license, following things must be cleared.

A. Requisite to update license.
There's no condition to update the license of air rifle, hand rifle,
and shot gun. But if you have not used them in the past three years,
license can not be updated.
To update the license of SB and LB, you have to show stump you got
at rifle shooting meets. Though one of conditions that N.R.A.J.
issues recommendatory letter for SB and LB is that owner should
participates at least two formal shooting meets per year for EACH gun,
in realty, it is not checked by the police strictly.
To update license of air-pistol or pistol, it is strictly examined
whether you participated in enough number of shooting meets, and score
at them were enough to qualify the ownership.

B. Annual gun inspection.
Usually in spring, there's a day of annual gun inspection (the date
differs with police stations). You bring not only all guns but also
a paper to report the number of times you used gun (for practice,
shooting meet, hunting) as well as the number of bullets you consumed.

C. Certification of a lecture which is valid at the time of update.
To update of the license, valid certificate of gun regulation lecture is
necessary. It means you have to attend the lecture every three years.

Others
--------

A. There are many kinds of papers which you submit to the police at
various opportunities. The following is a list of them (not all of
them are needed every time).
o Application for ownership
o Application for license update
o Application to buy ammunition
o Paper to return expired paper to buy ammunition
o Signed paper that gun shop or ex-owner agrees to sell a gun to you,
which contains detailed description of the gun
o List of your family who live with you
o Abstract of your family register
o Past 10 years' record of your address, job, crime, and guns
you ever own
o Doctor's certification that you are not a user of drugs, and
satisfies some other physical conditions.
o Certification of gun lecture (for beginners, or for owners)
o Certification of practice course at a shooting range [emphasis mine]

B. If you have some crime history, using knife or guns, you cannot
apply for gun ownership for some amount of years.
Also, if you live with dangerous people, like member of Yakuza,
it may happen application is rejected.

C. In Japan, most policemen are transferred every several years to avoid
their adhesion with residents. In case of a policeman who is
in charge of handling gun ownership, he is transferred every two years.

D. Because only one policeman works for gun ownership in each police
station, I experienced several times that he was absent for criminal
investigation. What I do when I have some business about gun ownership
is to call him in the morning to check his convenient time, then
go to the police station. So, it is often necessary to take
annual leave of a day or half just to submit papers.
I hope some reformation about this inconvenience.

E. The most popular accident caused by legal gun owner is to shoot the
colleague mistakenly at hunting.
In total, 10 to 20 accidents on legally owned guns happen every year.
N.R.A.J is proud of its record of no accident at shooting meets.

F. The number of owners of shot gun and air rifle are, if my memory is
correct, around 35,000 respectively, whereas owners of rifles are 1/10
of them.

G. Guns must be kept in your house in a specially designed locker.
One exception is pistol (not air pistol) which must be kept in a locker
of the nearby police station.
You must keep key of the locker in a secret place (your family should not
know it), and even if policemen comes to your home for inspection,
only owner should show guns.
He can reject to show guns if policemen come without prior notification.
It is to avoid an incident that guns are stolen by 'false police'.

H. To do hunting, you need another license for it.
Issuing of hunting license is under control of Governor of each
prefecture.
The first course for beginners is followed by written examination
follows like that for gun ownership. License is valid for 3 years.

I. When you apply for a gun, you specify its purpose (target shooting, or
hunting). You cannot use a gun for hunting if its purpose in the
  gun's license is "target shooting".

CA's note: If anyone can provide further information on this topic, please let me know. All I can say is that I have never seen a gun, except as a sidearm for police on such occasions as the G8 Summit, in the 20+ years that I have lived in Japan. I do not personally know of anyone who has ever been shot or killed by a gun, which is not the case for people living in the U.S. including close friends and relatives.

SYTYCD, Season 6, Top 14

2011-01-08T23:15:00.001+09:00

An outstanding show! For those of you who missed it, catch a rerun if you possibly can. Now they can honestly say that Season 6 is one of the best, if not the best ever!

1) First Lindy Hop that I remember seeing on the show. Ellenore and Ryan blew me away! Not only their energy, with some difficult moves and steps that kept going and going, but the spirit of fun they brought to it! I was surprised to learn that Ryan had had back trouble, although they seemed to have a bit of a problem coming out of one of the lifts (although none of the judges mentioned it). And I learned a new term: “Coffee grinders with the front flairs.”

2) What an fascinating jazz routine! I never knew that bodies could have so many angles. It seemed just made for Legacy and Kathryn (although obviously some of the choreography was made for Legacy, including the crab walks). Sonya was jumping with delight when Nigel said it was one of the best routines of the season.

3) Why do they put the dancers in black clothes against a dark background? It was so difficult to see them. Nevertheless, a splendid photograph could have been taken at any of the poses that Karen and Victor were holding in this very sexy tango. I wouldn't have noticed the number of pivots if Mary hadn't mentioned it.

4) Another pair of split pants! Mollee and Nathan both had so much fun with this Hip-Hop that it made it fun for the audience. I didn't notice all the flaws that the judges did, and Nigel in particular felt that it wasn't as professional as it could. Everyone's wondering what will happen when this couple is split up because they seem to have gotten so comfortable with each other.

5) I was concerned about Russell and Noelle doing a Samba because it's so not their genre, but they did a respectable job. The biggest problem is that it didn't get “uggy” (Adam's word, which he claims is in the dictionary), that is, down and dirty (which Mary described more delicately as compression). Not enough SOUTH America. Nigel said it best about Noelle in that her hips were moving but she's so sweet that it was a little too homogenized. I think these two are going to be better off with new partners.

6) After Sonya's other choreography, this one was a bit disappointing for me. It's called lyrical jazz, but I felt it made Jakob and Ashleigh look a bit awkward. It must have been just me because the judges didn't say anything of the kind, especially since Nigel said this was his favorite routine. What we agreed on is that this was a great partnership.

7) Ellenore and Ryan in a jazz routine - couldn't wait to see it. I actually liked their first routine better than this one, but they added their personality on top of some great choreography (again). Even so, although Adam said they nailed it, I think they could have gotten some tips from Evan. (Wonder if Evan's brother will ever be called on to choreograph a jazz routine.) I wouldn't have noticed how Ellenore went from the extension into first position if Adam hadn't mentioned it!

8) Uh oh! Legacy in Viennese waltz? He was a little too angular for me, but Kathryn was totally fluid. Legacy also needed to improve some of his footwork, as the judges noted, but the lifts were lovely. I sense that he could handle ballroom with more practice, but will he have a chance to get it?

9) Laurie Ann is the choreographer I'd least like to work with; she's tough and there's something so angry about her. There was some kind of ooomph missing, but Karen did much better than Victor.

10) Tyce DiOrio, Mollee, and Nathan - Couldn't get much better than this. First Cancan ever on SYTYCD? They certainly both had the stamina to pull it off (Adam: “Energizer Bunny”). I got chills watching it. This is going to be one of the most memorable for me. And one would never have guessed Mollee had a bad ankle if the judges hadn't mentioned it.

11) Tyce used the dancers so well in this routine. (Adam put it better by saying he used the “paint.”) It really helped that Russell and Noelle looked as though they've been together forever! What really impressed me about this number, as opposed to some of the other slower ones, is that the pauses and moments of silence were just as effective as the flow.

12) Here it comes! A cha-cha by Ashleigh and Jakob. I know this is going to be spectacular. [moments later] I KNEW it was going to be spectacular, and I think these two are ready for an international competition! It was so cute was when Jean-Marc mugged to camera, “My chair!”

I have a strong sense of who's not going home, but it's going to be a toughie. The weakest dance was Karen and Victor's Hip-Hop, so that may be their downfall.

Note: This was posted to the SYTYCD Fans in Japan page on Facebook. This particular episode of the show (which is called American Dance Idol in Japan) was broadcast January 8, 2011.

First Nightmare of the Year

2011-01-01T17:30:00.001+09:00

Is the first dream of the year the one dreamt after going to bed Dec. 31st or Jan. 1st? Either way, this one wasn't a pleasant one, and I hope it doesn't foretell anything.

I was having one of my adult classes and the students were a bit restless because we were leaving on a trip all together for Okinawa right afterwards. Because of that, we were supposed to finish the class a little early, but I wanted to cover 2 more points that were in my lesson plan.

As soon as the class was over, the students rushed off to the airport, which was right across the street from where we had our class. I said I would follow soon. There was still plenty of time.

However, after I picked up my bags, which were surprisingly light, and went over to meet them, I couldn't find the place where the plane took off. I was going all over the place, which was like a large shopping mall, from one end to the other. At one point I lost the smaller shopping bag that I had been carrying, but didn't have time to retrace my steps. I ran up one escalator that I was sure led to the gate, but it went to a restaurant instead. I was starting to get frantic.

Finally I decided to call one of the women in the class on my cell phone. Just as I was going through my address book, Mrs. Yamamoto (who's actually not in the class, although she was in my dream) phoned me. She sounded distressed. She said that because of me, everyone had missed the flight and we wouldn't be able to go to Okinawa. I was chagrined, especially since it was my fault.

The Enjoy English class, the ones I was supposed to go to Okinawa with.
I won't let them down again!

Questions about Class Observation

2010-12-15T18:27:00.000+09:00

A university student majoring in Education who observed one of my classes wrote me an email with questions about my teaching. Here are her questions and my answers.

1. why did you do repeat "it's got be somewhere" and "the beaches of mexico" at first?

I didn't have much time to explain before class, but those are called Jazz Chants and written by Carolyn Graham. One description is that “Jazz Chants are Carolyn Graham's snappy, upbeat chants and poems that use jazz rhythms to illustrate the natural stress and intonation patterns of conversational American English. Jazz Chants provide an innovative and exciting way to improve your student's speaking and listening comprehension skills while reinforcing the language structures of everyday situations.” (Multilingual Books, 2009) I use them for the following reasons:

1. Students can learn the pronunciation of American English, especially intonation and stress as well as reductions.

2. Students can learn natural expressions such as, “Where did you put it?”

3. Using jazz chants gets everyone talking in English at the beginning of class, and it's comfortable because they're talking in a group rather than individually.

4. They're fun!

2.I think your lesson is more communicative than grammatical.
Why did you lesson such as?

The class is called Gaikokugo [foreign language] Communication.

3.I felt your lesson was main of conversation.
Do you conscious to make your lesson like a speaking lesson.

Do you mean that the focus of the lesson was speaking? Yes, that's true. It's mainly because the students have had very little chance to speak in the 6 years that they've already studied English.

Students always tell me that they're happy they get to speak a lot in this class. The conversation is often something that may be useful for them when they meet visitors from others countries or when they travel abroad. I hope they will grow in their confidence to be able to use English.

Sometimes students tell me that they didn't like English before but that they like it now! That makes me feel as though I've succeeded in my teaching.

Students Playing Charades in Class

How Do Factory Farms Affect Us All?

2010-12-02T18:21:00.001+09:00

Farm factories are taking over livestock production. This interactive map shows how your community may be affected, if you live on mainland U.S. You can also learn facts such as “U.S. factory-farm dairies added nearly 650 cows every day between 1997 and 2007.“

Adam Lambert in Tokyo (and I was there)

2010-10-08T21:10:00.000+09:00

I was really concerned about Adam's voice because he sounded hoarse when speaking and avoided a lot of high notes (and was also singing in lower keys). However, I'm totally impressed how a 28-year-old can put together such a show and tour world-wide with it.

The JCB stage was too small to contain him! He is so powerful (and that includes his entourage, both musicians and dancers) that he could easily have filled a stage twice as large.

CA with Other Glam Girls

The audience wasn't dressed as wildly as I had expected, with some exceptions, but a sign of how totally they were into Adam is how, on one of his quieter pieces, there was complete silence when he paused. He had them completely in his grasp, jumping when he told them to and screaming back, “Yes!” when he asked, “Are you having fun?” (5 times).

The question is whether Adam was having fun. The concert started about 20 minutes late, and the problem seemed to be something technical to do with the sound. He rushed backstage between numbers, gesticulating at the crew, and he kept fiddling with his earpiece. That and his vocal problems (a cold or just an extremely demanding schedule?) detracted from the performance as a whole.

Adam Look-alikes

However, he really connected when he sat and just chatted with the audience. Although I’m sure it was patter he uses in almost all his concerts, his words were beautiful and genuine as he talked about love as being more important than anything else [including the kiss that got all the headlines], and there was an intimacy in that moment that the audience, even though there was a sell-out crowd of 3,100, truly responded to.

The versatility in his performance in what I really admire – from the flamboyancy, the glam, and the strut to the softer moments, including the cute, spontaneous grins when he senses it went well. Adam being Adam – that’s what we love. The songs are still ringing in my head, and I’m still grinning. It was worth losing an ear (from my flashing cat headband) over!

See videos from the concert here.

Le peuple migrateur

2010-01-23T10:17:00.005+09:00

I just fell in love - with Le peuple migrateur (The Traveling Birds), an exquisite French documentary that needs no narration. Ranging from pelicans to penguins, from seagulls to storks, the stars of this film travel over vistas from all over the world. On land, they touchingly take care of their young ones and struggle for survival under all conditions.

The film is so full of humor and wonder. (I myself wonder, first, how migrating birds can possibly flap their wings for hours after getting no exercise for months, and how the photographers managed to have the viewer flying right along with the feathered miracles of nature.) The soundtrack captures and enhances the movement, with humor and pathos.

Warning: The film does contain violence!

The music includes:

Nick Cave - To Be by Your Side

Robert Wyatt - Masters of the Field

Bruno Coulais - Vers le Nord

Bruno Coulais - La Traversée

Robert Wyatt - The Highest Gander

Bruno Coulais - Tambour Battant

Bruno Coulais - Le Retour des Grues

Bruno Coulais - Le Fil Bleu

Robert Wyatt - La Forêt Rouge

A Filetta - Comme Un Souffle

Bruno Coulais - L'Envol

Bruno Coulais - Dans la Fumée des Usines

Bruno Coulais - Le Planeur

Bruno Coulais - Après la Chasse

Bruno Coulais - Les Haras en Papier

Bruno Coulais - Le Vol des Cygnes

Bruno Coulais - A Tête Barrée

Gabriel Yacoub - la colombe poignardée

Bruno Coulais - Hors Champ

One of the more poignant scenes in the film, out of many.

Opera Around the World

2010-01-16T22:40:00.000+09:00

This afternoon I went to a recital of several operatic pieces, both solos and ensemble pieces. Frankly, I could have done without the prolonged narration (in Japanese, of course) explaining the background for each of the pieces. Perhaps it helped some of the audience appreciate the recital even more, but I would have enjoyed a simple hour and a half of singing rather than the two and a half hours it got stretched to.

Moreover, although two of my friends who sang solos are particularly good at acting, most of the staging on the group numbers was wooden with certain members of the chorus who had zero stage presence looking particularly uncomfortable. It made me so aware of what the judges are often saying on the competitive TV shows I enjoy watching about the music and dance having to come from the heart.

Two of the pieces were outstanding, including "Queen of the Night" from Mozart's Magic Flute, and one from Donzetti's Lucia di Lammermoor (can't say which aria since the program was all in Japanese). There was only one particularly painful performance, interestingly enough done by the Soprano with the gaudiest outfit of all.

I wish I could give the names of the soloists who did outstanding performances, but translating names from Japanese is particularly difficult for me.

As usual, I became aware of how much more I enjoy performing myself rather than watching others perform! However, it was not altogether an unpleasant afternoon. I just would have enjoyed being able to experience only the highlights more.

Re-Energizing My Life Begins

2009-11-29T20:33:00.000+09:00

Visit ReEnergize Your Life

I have completed my one-day fast with a large bowl of blueberries followed by a couple of small persimmon. Although I felt hungry early in the day, it didn't bother me. Late afternoon, however, I began to count the hours until the time to break the fast (7:15 p.m. since that's when I completed my meal yesterday). Blueberries never tasted so good! I need to take it easy the rest of the evening.

More Detoxing

2009-11-24T20:10:00.000+09:00

A.M.: Sleep was restless, and I sweated a lot during the night. I had always thought my sweating was due to over-consumption of sugar. I *did* have fruit for supper, but was fasting the rest of the day. I suppose that it’s part of the detox. I wonder if I’ll continue to sweat.

P.M.: I discovered that, after a day of fasting and then having only light meals, my senses were heightened, especially that of smell. This is not necessarily positive in that, while riding on the subway, she could tell what everyone had had for breakfast (which was booze for the young woman sitting next to me), and it was difficult to tolerate anyone who smoked or wore too much perfume.

I didn't stay completely raw today because I simply wasn't able to have my vegetable salad (which was my dinner) without dressing. I need to get some lemon juice when I'm at the supermarket tomorrow.

Breaking the Fast

2009-11-23T19:35:00.000+09:00

I started a fast, with only water, after dinner yesterday evening. Today I was able to manage fasting until about 4 p.m., and then the hunger just got too strong. I had blueberries and persimmons (separately) to break the fast over the next few hours. I found that I enjoyed the fruit in a way that I wouldn’t normally, if it was part of a meal. I also noticed myself holding the fruit in my mouth longer than usual, which gave me great pleasure.

Physically I’m not doing all that well. I feel drained, and I have a headache, which I know is a normal part of detoxing and also may be due to not having any chocolate or coffee (even though I drink decaf).

Also, the place where I had a tooth pulled 3 days ago is throbbing more than it had been. It’s not all that painful, but it’s certainly calling my attention to it.

I have a sense that I’ll sleep very well tonight. I also need to think about what I’ll be eating in the morning since I’ll have no time to prepare anything and very little time to eat (leave at 6:50 a.m. to get the subway). I’m thinking pineapple.

PETA

2009-11-22T10:00:00.002+09:00

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Re-Energizing My Life

2009-11-20T19:28:00.002+09:00

For the upcoming Re-Energize Your Life program, I have been preparing for the detox, which starts with a fast from Sunday evening to Monday evening, by clearing my fridge of all the cooked, processed food that doesn’t keep. That doesn’t mean I am throwing away food! I simply have minimized my purchases to the point where there’s only the amount necessary for the next week’s meals.

For the last two mornings, I’ve also been doing some reading about fasting and conscious eating, the latter in an article by Yogi Amrit Desai for the Kripalu Self-Help Guide. A couple of quotations that I like or that resonate with me include, “The ultimate answer [to finding which foods are just right for us] is to learn to rely on our inner body wisdom or prana for guidance,” and “Eating vegetables is eating sunshine.”

During the next few weeks, I want to rediscover a natural hunger that’s not based on habits and to stop using eating as way to cope with fatigue and stress. I also believe that, as I cleanse myself inwardly, clearing my external environment of excess clutter is an important part of the process.

Bring Adam (and Kris and Allison) to Sapporo!

2009-11-11T18:09:00.000+09:00

Vote Now!

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T17:46:00.000+09:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

The photos are from Halloween Hat Contests in my classes over the past three years.

2nd Place Melon

2009-08-16T14:08:00.010+09:00

As soon as they gently pushed me into the middle of the street where we had been dancing, I knew it was going to happen again. I was dismayed but pleased at the same time.

Four years ago, when I had joined in the neighborhood bon odori [dancing] for a short time, I had been urged by some members of the neighborhood group to dance during the last 5 minutes or so. Then I learned that there were prizes, and I was surprised to be awarded with the 3rd prize, which included a carton of shoyu [soy sauce] and a pineapple. I was never quite sure what the criteria were for winning, although a lot of people dressed in costume, generally as simple as a wig or a mask, although the girl who won first place was simply wearing a pretty dress but a noticeably good dancer.

Anyway, I accepted the prizes, and a neighbor's husband graciously carried the carton of 6 large bottles of shoyu for 4 blocks to my apartment. Since one of those bottles would last me almost a year, I gave the others to friends. I later learned that the president of the company that made the shoyu is also a neighbor!

This year I was able to join in the dancing again and, in fact, since the weather was cooler than usual, danced continuously for some 45 minutes. The dance is fairly simple with movements so repetitious that I was soon doing them automatically. After dancing like that for quite some time, one can go into a kind of trance-like state, although meditative might be a better word. What I enjoyed about it the most was young and old all engaged in an activity together. I felt so connected with all the people dancing. For some reason, little kids kept joining the line in front of me (for only a short time), and that was especially delightful.

In the end, I won again! This time it was 2nd prize, a Hokkaido muskmelon. I still have no idea why I won - except that I was one of the few NJs (non-Japanese) participating.

You Gotta Music

2009-08-08T14:10:00.011+09:00

My head is still reeling two days after one of the most delightful performances I’ve had during the three years I’ve been singing with Sapporo Symphony Chorus. Akira-san is an absolute delight with his enthusiastic conducting - so dynamic compared with most of the staid conductors we work with - and his love of music, especially when performing for children.

His songs, too, convey so many messages for children, including that “sayonara” is not an end but a beginning. One, entitled “Yugata [Evening] Quintet,” is used for his theme song on public TV. “You gotta music” is not actually poor English but a pun on “yugata,” so it means “evening music.”

Since it took me nearly 25 hours to learn the meaning of and memorize the 5 songs we performed, while listening to them every day on my iPod while I was walking and riding the subway or bus, the tunes are firmly imbedded in my brain. Because of that, and the help of numbers of friends who helped me understand not just the words but the underlying meaning of what we were singing, I thoroughly enjoyed the two performances.

We were encouraged to move naturally with the music, and I’ve never seen the chorus loosen up so much. Of course, standing just a few feet away from the audience (although we’re usually behind the orchestra on risers or even up in the balcony near the organ, this time we were right at the front of the stage) and having the accompaniment of children running around and crying or shouting made the atmosphere extraordinarily different from what we’re used to when we perform classical music.

The program was oriented towards children as well, opening up to an cartoon illustration of

an orchestra with all the instruments labeled. I heard that, after the concert, members of the Sapporo Symphony were in the lobby with their instruments, allowing children to touch and explore them - sticking their heads inside the tuba or watching in awe at how far a trombone could slide.

However, it was Akira-san himself who made it so much fun for everyone. His love of music was so apparent and so contagious that everyone felt like singing and playing! (I’m sure this is true even of the members of the orchestra, although their faces were so solemn compared with those of the young people in the Pacific Music Festival Orchestra with whom we performed last month.)

During rehearsal, Akira-san really helped us to get a feel of the music with his gestures and expressions as well as his words. In one song, for example, he wanted the suspense sustained throughout the piece until it reached the conclusion, and he illustrated with Tony’s song from West Side Story: “Could be . . . who knows? . . .”

On the day of the concert, we had about 2 hours between the 1:30 and 4:30 performances, and I was feeling so tired around 3:30 that I thought I’d never make it through the second time without forgetting the words. However, once on stage, I was totally energized by the music, the enthusiastic audience, and, of course, Akira-san himself.

By the time we performed the encore, Matsuken Samba II, a unique piece with Japanese words by Ken Mastudaira, all the singers were totally into it, as can be seen in the photo. OLÉ!

During his speech, Akira-san told us that he feels a true affinity with us and, for me, the feeling is mutual. I truly hope to have the opportunity to perform with him again. The world needs more musicians like him who have such a positive effect on all those around him.

Postlude: One of my private students took her nephew to the concert and, of course, enjoyed it. Since I had told her that I wasn't able to memorize the first encore and was only going to mouth the words, she told me that her nephew was checking my mouth closely with opera glasses during the encore and couldn't tell that I wasn't actually singing the words. Guess I'm pretty good at faking it!

Rise Again!

2009-07-19T13:17:00.008+09:00

More to come soon on my extraordinary experience in singing in Mahler's Symphony #2 with the Pacific Music Festival orchestra conducted by the superb Maestro Christoph Eschenbach, the festival's former artistic director (1991, 1993-98).

We performed at both Kitara Concert Hall and Sapporo Art Park.

Adam's Positive Attitude

2009-05-28T08:05:00.003+09:00

Not only does he have the charisma, the voice, the stage presence, and the whole “package” that makes for a superstar. He's also humble, gracious, courteous, respectful, genuine - rare qualities that I hope he keeps as he continues on his journey to megastardom!

Want more American Idol videos? Click here.

Adam Talks about What's Next

2009-05-24T17:58:00.003+09:00

This guy not only has everything it takes to be a superstar - the voice, the looks, the stage presence, the creativity. He also has enormous poise, respect for others, and, above all, real class. I can't wait to buy his recordings, albums, and - some day - a ticket to his concert.

Preview of Retirement Days

2009-05-24T09:39:00.002+09:00

The way I spent my afternoon and evening is how I'd like to live when I'm retired (if ever). I went with friends from my international women's group to the Sapporo Modern Art Museum to see a Yuzo Saeki Retrospective (oil paintings from 1923-1928 by a Japanese artist who lived in Paris). Then we had a delicious Italian dinner at Tanto Travoletta. Finally, I got home in time to watch the “rat pack” performances on American Idol. This kind of leisure time is rare, but I'm hoping it's a preview of days to come.

Gratitude During Ups and Downs

2009-05-21T21:36:00.000+09:00

UP - My weight was down another pound this morning.

DOWN - ADAM LAMBERT LOST (although he's still going to be the biggest superstar ever to come out of American Idol)!

UP - Today was an incredibly warm, gorgeous day - like July in mid-May.

DOWN - I'm supposed to send out a bulk mailing about our language teachers' conference this Sunday, and my Mail hasn't been working right since Monday. I made an appointment at the Apple store with the Mac Genius at lunchtime, thinking I could get it fixed, but they couldn't so I left my computer at the store while I went to teach my afternoon class.

UP - I got a ticket to the Simon and Garfunkel (who are actually coming to Sapporo) concert in July.

DOWN - I got on the subway going the wrong way and had to backtrack.

UP - I got to my afternoon class (Enjoy English! which I inherited from a colleague) just in time and it was delightful, as always.

DOWN - The Mac Geniuses still hadn't figured out the problem with my Mail and, in fact, now it's worse because I've lost all the rules I had for sorting messages into folders.

DOWN - I didn't get my afternoon nap and have my usual no-nap migraine-like headache.

UP - I don't have the flu, which has resulted in schools getting closed in other parts of Japan.

Simon on Susan

2009-05-17T20:05:00.001+09:00

I appreciate Simon's candor and also the fact that he really is impressed by Susan Boyle.

Piers Morgan on “Unconventional” Contestants

2009-04-25T11:06:00.002+09:00

I love the part where Piers says he got through customs by saying he was a friend of Susan Boyle's!

Occupations of Parents of Japanese University Students

2009-03-14T20:00:00.001+09:00

It's really interesting to me the different kind of work that my students' parents do. In some cases, I'm fairly certain that the student may be the first in the family to attend university.

I've made a list, exactly as they were written on the students' information forms. Since the students are from various universities and I've included no names, I haven't compromised anyone's privacy.

My father is a office worker. My mother is a homemaker.

My father is engineer. My father is working on telephone company.

My father is office worker. My mother is Yakult lady.

My house is cleaning shop.

My mother is a nerse.

My father is the Ground Self-Defense Forse.

My father is a professor of biology.

My father is teacher. My mother's job is part time.

My mother work in hospital as nursing assistant.

My father is a taxi driver. My mother is a hotel worker.

My father is carpenter.

My parents work each other. NTT. Seikyo.

My father is Tochikaokutsyosashi.

My father is a hight school teacher. My mother is midwife.

My mother:s workshop is Kanpo drugstore.

My father works in Sapporo city ward office. My mother is a housewife.

My father is driver.

My father is a official civil.My father and my mother work Hotel in Furano.

My father work factory.

My father works at city hall. My mother is homeworker.

My father is a car engineer.

My father is a bussinessman.

My father is a public employee. My mother is a librarian.

My father's work is covering buildings and stations with tiles. My mother is home keeper.

My father is a doctor. My mother was a nurse.

My parents's job is agriculture.

My father is an architect. My mother was kindergarten teacher.

Parents manage to jazz bar.

My father is a junior high school teacher. My mother was a elementary school teacher.

My father is a veterinarian. My mother was a nusery school teacher.

My father manage gardening shop. My mother teach mathematics for school child.

My father is cook.

My father works in factory. My mother works a part time job.

My mother is office worker.

My father works in bank.

My father is a lab technician.

My father sells car. My mother is housewife.

My father is plumber.

My father makes cakes. My mother and sister work for hospital.

My father has his own soba restaurant. My mother is good at cooking, too.

My father is a carpenter. My mother works in a factory which makes clothes.

My parents own outdoor school. This shool is teaching outdoor sports and outdoor life, for example, canoeing, rafting, etc.

My father is a taxi driver. My sister is a nurse.

My father is an architect. My mother is full-time housewife.

My father job is peace keep of Japan. My mother is homekeeping.

My father sales office computer.

My father is a official. My mother is sado teacher.

My parents are drunker, always drinking. My eldely brother is gambler.

My father was a headmaster of a junior high school. He is sick and receiving treatment and resting at home. My mother is a housewife.

My father is a fireman. My mother works part-time.

My mother is long-distance bus tiket publisher, and my older sister is insurance saleswoman.

My father is a bus driver. My mother works in an office.

My father is a public official. He works for a hospital. My mother is a dancing instructor.

My father is a teacher of elementary school. My mother works part-time at a supermarket.

My father manages a shoes store with my mother.

My father is a head of kindergarten. My other is a housewife.

My father is a vice-principal.

My father is postman. My mother work at kingdum teacher.

My parents are both junior high school teachers.

My mother is a kindergarten teacher and works almost every day.

My father is an instructor at a driving school. My mother is a cosmetician in a cosmetic company.

My father works at the bank. My mother is a housewife.

My father is electrical engineer. My mother is homemaker.

Uncle Jay Sings about 2008

2009-01-01T20:38:00.002+09:00

A hilarious rendition of news events of 2008 set to Christmas carols and popular songs:

For more episodes “helping small minds understand big news,” check out Uncle Jay Explains the News.

New Year's Resolutions (The Onion)

2009-01-01T15:28:00.004+09:00

Think you can keep any of these resolutions?

Check out other humorous “news” stories at The Onion.

Smoothie Move

2008-11-13T00:31:00.007+09:00

It all started with my first visit to Costco, which opened not long ago in Sapporo. Imagine, if you will, a store with spacious aisles, spacious shopping carts, and huge piles of cheaply-priced items that can't be found in one's local supermarket. Well, I suppose for most Americans, that doesn't take much imagination, but it's extremely rare in Sapporo.

I went with a friend who has a membership, and filled up his basket with cheese and corn bread mix and Perrier. (Of course, I paid.) I also found a huge bag of mixed frozen fruit (mangoes, papaya, pineapple, and strawberries) that I could barely squeeze into my freezer.

Of course, then I wanted to make smoothies. I’ve missed them so much, although they’ve just started getting popular in Japan. So I just had to buy a juicer. Juicers have also only recently gotten popular in Japan, so I was surprised at the variety I had to choose from, but got a fairly inexpensive, standard model, which is actually a simple blender.

I figured making a smoothie would be a cinch - just throw in some frozen fruit and a bit of low-fat yogurt, and mix. Well, it tasted all right, but it wasn't smooth!

Later I tried one that included a cup of vanilla soy milk, a cup and a half of the frozen fruit, and a half a banana. The texture and sweetness were for that were just about right.

Also, I figured out that it works better to put the milk in first and the pieces of fruit in one at a time. I knew there was some reason for the cylinder in the middle with the hole in the cover! I'm kind of a slow learner when it comes to anything involving ”cooking.“

There are some recipes in Japanese that came with the juicer, and I suppose I could check those out. I notice they have Chinese characters for something like “angle ice,” which I think means ice cubes, although frozen fruit seems to do quite well. Eventually I might add some sort of nutritious powder or the like so that the smoothie could even be considered a meal.

Advice or RECIPES for smoothies are welcome!

On Not Coming Full Circle

2008-11-12T23:43:00.009+09:00

Today I was asked if I would teach a course for elementary school English teachers. I declined.

In my 30+ years of teaching, I've had students from the ages of 11 to 78, but I've never taught children. I have neither the experience nor the expertise to teach children, much less to teach others how to teach children. I could not, in good conscious, agree to teach such a course.

Ironically, my very first major in college was elementary education. That lasted a little over a year. As much as I love children, I couldn't get into the courses, which seemed rather petty to me. I easily got seduced (almost literally) by the Head of the English Department into majoring in English, a major that I later discovered (and was warned by my father) would get me nowhere when I started looking for jobs.

I toyed with majoring in Psychology - and would still like to get a degree in counseling, if I could - but the Psychology Department at my college was pathetic. I'm not sure, for example, that they were familiar with Carl Rogers and Client-Centered Therapy. It was all still Freud and Jung.

I would also have loved to major in Theatre, and took as many courses in the field that I could, but my tuition was being paid by my father, who considered Theatre an even less practical major than English. I defied him later by going on to graduate school and getting an M.A. in Theatre on my own (and with the help of a full-tuition scholarship). It turn out, of course, that my father was right. In fact, neither English nor theatre ever led directly to jobs.

I ended up taking courses in alternative education and finally getting licensed to teach English for senior high, then junior high. That eventually led to my teaching in Japan, where I wasn't able to teach in public junior or senior high schools, so ended up teaching adults, then university.

And, now, at one of the universities where I teach, I've been requested to teach elementary school education. It's so ironic that my earliest major would have been the one to prepare me the best for teaching such a course. But I never would have had the opportunity to teach such a course had I not ended up teaching university-level English.

What really bothers me is that, now that the Ministry of Education has decided English will be required for elementary school children in Japan, universities are scrambling to find instructors to teach courses for future elementary school teachers. Notice that I didn't say qualified instructors. I have been asked, and I'm far from qualified - even with over 30 years experience teaching English and at least 10 years teaching methodology.

No doubt someone will accept the position (and other such positions in universities all over Japan). Are most of those people going to have the qualifications? I have my doubts, and I have even stronger doubts that teaching English in elementary schools in Japan is going to improve the level of English in this country. Not when it's being implemented in such a haphazard way.

If I had continued as an elementary education major, I might have gone on to become an elementary school teacher and, possibly, supervisor. I might even have ended up teaching elementary education. However, I probably would never have come to Japan. So I would have been fully qualified to teach the class that I turned down today, but I wouldn't have been here to be asked!

There's an Erection?

2008-11-04T14:41:00.005+09:00

I wore a red, white, and blue scarf with stars and stripes to school today. However, when I asked my students why I was wearing the scarf, with the hint that it was connected to something happening in the U.S., I had to wait a long time for their guesses.

"Thanksgiving?"

"Independence Day?"

That I was also wearing my "Jed Bartlet for President" sweatshirt apparently didn't help.

At least none of my students answered Halloween! They all know that was last week.

I wonder how many university students in Japan have no idea there's a presidential election going on in the U.S. today. At least my students know.

Jokes My Cats Don't Get

2008-09-14T08:11:00.000+09:00

I frequently tell my cats jokes. However, they don't seem to get them. I mean, they never laugh or even respond with a groan. Here are a couple of examples, which you may have heard in another context.

“You're funny, but looks don't count.”

“You make a better door than window.”

“Mommy's going to the store, and she'll be back before you can say, 'Jack Robinson'.”

“Mommy has to go to work. Somebody in this family has to put food on the floor.”

“It's good for you. It'll put hair on your chest!”

“Did you ever hear about the cat that cried 'Wolf!'?”

Feel free to let me know of any other jokes you think my cats might not enjoy!

Michiko

2008-09-06T19:46:00.006+09:00

About 3 hours ago, I learned that another of my private students passed away. I have lost two students in less than a month to cancer.

Michiko Nakamura was two years younger than I and so full of life. She was always cheerful and optimistic, brightening the classroom with her wit and vitality. As I write this, I can hear her voice entertaining us with one of her delightful stories. It's so hard to believe that I'll never see or hear her again.

A few months ago, Michiko began complaining of asthma and wore a face mask to class every week. Her voice was becoming hoarse, and she didn't seem to be improving. Suddenly I got a package from her returning a DVD she had borrowed (she loved movies and had seen just about every movie that I mentioned). Attached was a note saying that she had been diagnosed with lung cancer. I thought I must be reading it wrong.

She went to Tokyo where she was receiving treatment at most likely one of the best hospitals in the country. Only a few weeks ago, she was showing signs of improvement and fully expected to return to Sapporo this month. We were all looking forward to being reunited. Then her condition worsened, her lungs filling with fluid.

The birthday ecard I sent her last week was never opened.

Unlike the student who passed away last month, Michiko's wake and funeral will be held in Tokyo where her daughter lives, so I won't be able to attend. However, our class will be having its own memorial time for her during our regular class time on Thursday. Because she and the other three students have been together for so long, the only way I can describe it is that it's going to feel out of balance without her.

Who Is Sarah Palin?

2008-08-31T10:10:00.003+09:00

Polar bears are in trouble if McCain gets elected president. His choice for a running mate, Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska for a year and a half (and, before that, mayor of a town of 9,000 people - not exactly the greatest experience for running a country) sued the Bush administration for listing polar bears as an endangered species because she was worried it would interfere with more oil drilling in Alaska. Read the article, “Who Is Sarah Palin?” by Move On.

Is this the person Americans want to be one heartbeat away from the presidency?

When I'm 64 . . .

2008-08-29T11:06:00.003+09:00

. . . exactly one month from today. Hardly seems possible.

Life is nothing like what I expected when McCartney and Lennon first wrote the song. No knitting by the fireside, no digging in the garden, hardly any postcards any more (unless they're the “e” kind), and certainly no bottles of wine.

No grandchildren. Not even any great nephews or nieces. I do have cats (something that was, I'm sure inadvertently, left out of the song since “cat” rhymes with so many other words), and I'm hoping someone will send me a valentine!

Peter Grimes Is Coming!

2008-08-21T17:24:00.003+09:00

Peter Grimes will be in Sapporo in less than a month. More information to follow.
_____________________________________________________________
The 511th Sapporo Symphony Subscription Concert
Benjamin Britten/opera, “Peter Grimes” op. 33 (concert-style)
Tadaaki OTAKA, Conductor
Cast:
Peter Grimes: Kei FUKUI (Tenor)
Ellen Orford: Yuko KAMAHORA (Soprano)
Captain Balstrode: Satoru AOTO (Baritone)
Hobson: Tsuyoshi MIHARA (Bass)
Swallow: Kazunori KUBO (Bass)
Auntie: Akiko OGAWA (Alto)
Two Nieces: Eri UNOKI (Soprano), Kaori HIRAI (Soprano)
Bob Boles: Keiro OHARA (Tenor)
Rev. Horace Adams: Akira Yukawa (Tenor)
Mrs. Sedley: Misato IWAMORI (Mezzo Soprano)
Ned Keene: Ken-ichi YOSHIKAWA (Baritone)
Choruses:
Sapporo Symphony Chorus, Sapporo Academy Chorus, Sapporo Broadcasting Chorus (Chorusmaster: Isao OSANAI)
Assistant Conductor: Hidehiro SHINDORI
Assistant Conductor: Masahito OSADA

Anyone who wants information about the opera in Japanese can read an article here.

Setsumaro

2008-08-11T10:33:00.004+09:00

This morning when I went to radio exercises, a student in one of my classes came running over to tell me stunning news. Setsumaro Yokoyama passed away Saturday evening from pancreatic cancer. He had been in the hospital recently diagnosed with gallstones, and we were concerned because we hadn't heard from him for a few weeks, but I never thought that it was life-threatening.

He was only 75 and still full of energy. In fact, I wish that my university students had his enthusiasm for learning! Although he was always humble about expressing his opinion, he often showed great insight, such as when we were reading the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” together.

Setsumaro also had great respect for others. At our class last week, I joked to the other students that, with his being absent, no one bowed when I came into the classroom.

He has attended nearly all my concerts in the past few years and had already bought tickets for the one in September. I will be thinking of him at that time.

I've made a memorial page with photos of him and the rest of the class. I'll be going to the wake for him this evening.

Germ Warfare

2008-07-07T09:28:00.003+09:00

If there's any destruction during the G8 summit in Hokkaido, it's obviously going to be done through germ warfare.

I've been suffering from a terrible cold, going through several tissues per hour. I wanted to discard a bunch of tissues at my local subway station when I realized that the trash bins had all been confiscated. Anyone who wants to plant a bomb is just going to have to find another location.

Meanwhile, I'm carrying these germ-infested tissues around and probably spreading my cold all over school today. Not that anyone's likely to die from my germs, but it could put them out of commission for a while.

It's come to this - carrying our own trash bags around. That's actually not such a bad idea, if it acts as an incentive for people to cut down on their trash. If they discard trash just anywhere, though, the effect from contamination - especially of snot-ridden tissues - could be worse!

Gee, Ate

2008-07-06T19:28:00.012+09:00

Check out the pre-G8 summit Oxfam demonstration in downtown Sapporo at the Oxfam International Blog. Because of a bad cold, I was too sick to participate, but my neighbor, Amanda, volunteered and met the head of George Bush!

According to the blog, “Oxfam will be calling on the G8 to make poverty issues central to their discussions. . . . The message [they wanted] to get across [on Saturday, July 8th] is that the G8 leaders shouldn’t come to the Hokkaidō summit and treat their visit as a holiday.”

Personally, I'm wondering how much can be accomplished in 3 days by world leaders flying in from various parts of the globe. “Flying in.” How seriously can they be taking the rising cost of fuel, to say nothing of its effect on the environment. Among the 20,000-40,000 extra police that have been mobilized for the event, most are not able to stay at the venue of the summit, so buses are transporting them back and forth to their hotels, as far as an hour away. That's an enormous use of fuel!

I heard from one friend that a woman living in Toya was going out to cut vegetables with a scythe. Security forces confiscated her scythe. Apparently this is to protect those who will be involved in discussions on alleviating world poverty. Gee, I wonder what they ate during their breaks from focusing on the poor. Locally-grown vegetables?

[I later learned that, indeed, fresh green asparagus from Biei, a town in Hokkaido, was served. See the Times Online article, G8 leaders feast on 13 courses after discussing world food shortages.]

See photos of Lake Toya that I took on a visit there in 2000.

American Classical Idol

2008-05-04T11:11:00.019+09:00

Imagine a competition such as American Idol for classical singers. How would the contestants be judged? To mention just a few of the criteria, they would have to:

show an extensive repertoire, including lieder and “art songs” as well as arias and excerpts from operas, oratorios, or cantatas, contemporary as well as pieces from previous centuries.

be able to sing in a variety of languages - Italian, of course, German, French, and so on - and be judged on pronunciation.

have a range of at least two octaves.

know how to select pieces that are most appropriate for one's own vocal type (coloratura, contralto, baritone, etc.) and range.

use the body appropriately to control breath, including vibrato, and pitch.

project vocally according to the piece, being able to go from pianissimo to fortissimo, and the acoustics of the performance hall.

There might be weeks based on a particular composer (Brahms, Puccini, Shumann, and so on), weeks from various classical music periods (Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, 20th century, and contemporary), perhaps a week of jazz or songs from musicals . . . it's exciting to think of all the possibilities. What can you add?

Naturally, “showmanship” would be taken into consideration. Whenever I sing for the Sapporo Academy Chorus in-house rehearsals, I always wear clothing that fits the piece - for example, a bright red dress with big, black polka dots for a Gershwin medley; a loose-sleeved blouse, long vest, knee pants, and tights for a Cherubino aria from Mozart's “Marriage of Figaro.”

Interpretation of the piece is, of course, essential. Does the singer use the right volume, degree of vibrato or nasality, “color” or degree of warmth, and other factors that match the piece?

In an interesting article entitled “The Voice that Charms,” Wah Keung Chan states, “A good singing competition is every bit as exciting as a figure skating meet; both competitions are judged on technical and artistic merit. 'Voice, musicality and presence are the criteria,' said André Bourbeau, president of the jury [of the First Jeunesses Musicales Montreal International Competition in Voice]. Technically, the characteristics of a great voice are timbre (colour and ability to project in a large hall), legato, flexibility (coloratura), dynamic range, and diction. The hallmarks of a great singer are the ability to make a good voice communicate the message and emotion carried by the text and the music.” (La Scena Musicale - Vol. 7, No. 9, June 1, 2002; accessed May 4, 2008)

Diana Yampolsky divides the performance into physical sound and emotional style, saying, states, “Physical sound is what is achieved by proper utilization of the technical aspects of singing, i.e. breathing (support), structure, placement and projection. Emotional style is essentially how the singer relates to the song and anticipates and complements the style of music....” (See another interesting analogy to a skating performance in “The Technical Elements of Vocal Style”, Indie-Music.com, January 13, 2002; accessed May 4, 2008.)

In the auditions, sight reading and a pitch matching test might be included, much like the technical aspect of a skating competition. I've had to sightread for most of serious auditions, and I once had to sing an atonal scale backwards as well as be able to sing various intervals on sight (3rd, 4th, 5th, and so on, in both major and minor keys).

As you can see, I got so intrigued by this topic that I did some Internet searches. As I did so, I was disturbed by the fact that ageism is rampant in classical music singing competitions (as in American Idol), often limiting entry to contestants under 35. This is particularly dismaying to me since I didn't really “find” my true voice until I was in my 50s, and had a successful audition for the Sapporo Symphony Chorus when I was over 60. I was please to discover that Contralto Karen Mercedes has put together a list of competitions with no upper age restrictions. Time to start working on my repertoire!

Don't Feed Your Car Corn!

2008-05-01T10:45:00.004+09:00

“Grain is good for bread, not ... cars.” So says Marcos Jank, President of Unica (Sugar Cane Industry Union, SP in Brazil).

Does that mean switching to sugar for fueling vehicles? Will sugar have the same effect on cars as it does on humans, making them hyperactive?

A Time magazine article entitled The Clean Energy Scam, by Michael Grunwald, asserts that biofuels are part of the problem, not the solution, to global warming. Has the American public been taken in by a hoax (started, undoubtedly, by Iowan farmers) that using soybeans or corn to fuel their cars is a way of contributing to the saving of our planet?

Common sense says that it takes space to grow corn and soybeans. If that space is used for plants that will be turned into fuel, where's the space to grow the plants that will be used for human consumption? Is farming in Iowa having an effect how many trees are slaughtered in the rain forests of the Amazon? If so, why are all the presidential candidates supporting the use of ethanol? (Answer to that last one is a nobrainer: They want the votes of those conspiring Iowan farmers.)

For an interesting discussion on this, including a response to the article by Time, check out Dilbert's (Scott Adams') blog, “Minimum Requirement for President.”

Showcasing My Work

2008-04-27T17:08:00.007+09:00

I could spend hours and hours using some of the Apple software included in iWorks and iLife. In fact I do! I've made several slideshows for use in the classroom (of trips I've made or of pictures on the topic we're discussing). I also enjoy making Keynote presentations (far simpler than using Microsoft's PowerPoint and with much better effects).

Some of it is self-taught, but I've also been taking lessons from Mayu Aoki at the Apple Store in Sapporo. (See her with me in the photo on the right.)

Today there was a Showcase for those who have been taking similar one-on-one lessons, and I showed the slideshow I made of the Beppu onsen (hot springs) from my trip to Kyushu. Imagine the following photo dissolving into the devil's hot springs and others to Stravinsky's Le “Sacre du printemps” (or “Rite of Spring”).
The other work I showcased was a Keynote presentation on how to use Keynote (or PowerPoint) effectively. It was made with the help of Mac & Tippy (as you can see in the example).
There were 7 people (pictured below with the Apple store staff), including me, who showcased their work. One was an older man who composed a short symphony using GarageBand! Another was a graphic artist who illustrates posters. I had been expecting somewhat childish, amateurish uses of the software, but the ones shown today were all topnotch. Perhaps it's that Apple software can turn anyone into a professional!

Scrabble at CA's Academy

2008-04-24T15:59:00.000+09:00

I’ve been enjoying playing Scrabulous so much on Facebook.com (currently have at least 5 games going) that I told my private classes about it. One of the students had brought back a Scrabble board from the U.S., so we (the 4 students in the photo above and I) played a game. The final scores were really close. I think I taught them the game a little too well!

Scrabulous Help!

2008-04-16T15:07:00.005+09:00

I have about 5 Scrabulous games going on Facebook. I'm winning some, very close in one, but sorely losing one by. In fact, I've already lost by about 60 points, but I have such great letters I want to play them if it's in any way possible.

I've tried every move I can come up with, but none of the words are accepted. I need help! If you see a way to use any of my letters, please let me know!

MY LETTERS

Tippy Speaks English!

2008-04-15T14:05:00.003+09:00

My cats are both bilingual - well, make that trilingual. However, their listening - in English and Japanese - far exceeds their speaking.

Probably the first word they learned was “No!” They quickly understood that “no” meant stopping whatever they were doing. If I say, “Watch out” or “Abunai,” they're a bit more confused by what to do or not to do, so there's still a bit of learning to take place there.

Occasionally I'll teach them some big words, such as “rambunctious” (when I was explaining their behavior to them). However, those words don't stick as well.

Their favorite word is “din din,” which stands not just for “dinner” but for any meal. Just hearing “din din” is enough to get them excited, and they immediately head for their bowls in the kitchen.

Recently Tippy's speaking has gotten almost as good as his listening. (I can't say the same for Mac, who has only 2 sounds in his vocabulary - a whine or a bark, the latter saved for crows outside the window.)

Quite some time ago, Tippy could say “Ma” when he saw me. Now he's added 2 more words. He was pushing against the handle of the front door the other day (and probably would have opened it if it hadn't been locked). I asked him where he was going, and he replied, “Out.” Later I asked him when he wanted his “din din,” and he replied, “Now.”

It could be he's so literate because, nearly every night when I'm reading before going to sleep, he comes over to my futon for his bedtime story. He likes to curl up on my tummy, with his butt in my face, so he can look at the book - even though it has no pictures. Of course, my stroking him may have something to do with his enjoying reading with me. If I read more material in Japanese, I wonder if Tippy's spoken Japanese would get better.