My secret base.

I wanted to use my desk more effectively, so I cleaned it up the other day.

I dumped my old stereo systems and got the space on the desk, wiped computer parts out with wet towels, and organized them again.

Do you know Yuji Oda, who is a famous acter in Japan? As his signature starring role, odoru daisousa sen is a well-known movie.

When I was a university student, I watched one TV program, seigi wa katsu, which means “Justice will prevail”. Yuji Oda was the main acter in it. He got ride on the Mercedes (it’s a definetely classic convertible one!), putting a long coat, taking his IBM lap-top computer in all his way. (As a matter of fact, the first computer for me was…IBM lap-top…hahaha)

My friend and I, actually, studied for one qualification of law in Japan at that time, so we always talked with each other like this; “If we pass the exam, let’s rent a Mercedes convertible car and join in our graduation ceremony! Ofcourse we put the badge on the collar!”

Unfortunately, my friend couldn’t pass it (he passed it the following year), however, I did it, so we went to the association to register myself. In front of the counter, I got surprised… The female assistant coldly told me it would take a few months and much money!!! The graduation ceremony was just around the corner and we didn’t have much money, so we gave it up. Ofcourse, we gave Mercedes up, either.

I checked the scene Yuji Oda working in his own room in the program. There is a wide desk in the center of the room, a large number of books behind him. “cool…” thinking like that, I decided to buy a new desk. Since I got it, this desk has been with me. One more thing, for this badge, I can earn money.

I took some photos around my desk. Please check it.

I don’t use any mouse pad. Even though there’s no mouse pad, I can easily play games. Due to the wide space of the desk, I can open textbooks and notebooks for learning English. You can see some textbooks on TOEIC.

I can’t go through my FPS life without this mouse. Since I bought this, my score and strength in the game has been better. In the respect of elaboration, I have a complaint. The materials of this mouse like…a totally plastic assembly. Like a cheap toy.

I used a headset mic, but in order to record my voice more clearly when learning English, I bought this last month. Unfortunately, when I play FPS games and use this microphone under clan wars, the clan members all complain the noise from this. This microphone is always turned off when clan wars.

I’ve been using this for over six years, so I want to buy a new camera. I plan to buy this. Qcam Orbit AF

With this instrument, I can switch between speakers and a headphone. Besides, I can turn microphone on and off with this.

One of seasonal traditions in Japan…Shaved ice.

It’s about time to enjoy kakigoori in Japan.

kakigoori is one of famous Japanese desserts, which made from shaved ice and topped with many kinds of flavored syrups.

It’s very easy to make kakigoori. Shave ice and top any syrups you want. That’s all. Definitely simple. However, kakigoori have their long and interesting stories.

The origin of kakigoori was in Heian era. In makura no soushi, which is the prominently historical essay written by seishounagon, you can find the phrases reffering to kakigoori. kakigoori is apparently more familiar since a long time ago than I expected.

I’m sure you have the same things in other countries, so I checked them. In America, kakigoori is called “shaved ice”, in Philippine, it’s called “halohalo”.

kakigoori in Japan change its style these days, especially the contents to be topped. In order to make it beautiful, an ice cream is topped besides kakigoori, moreover, the flavors of syrups are changed and get varieties.

The most interesting fact is that you have to get the certification for selling “ice”. You have to get good ice so that you can get a good tasted kakigoori. There are many differences between ice made in home and ice made by professional persons. If you want to do business such a selling ice, you need the certification of “hyousetu hanbai gyou” in compliance with Food Sanitation Act.

Anyway, kakigoori is, for Japanese, one of desserts you can feel “summer” from itself. One more thing, don’t eat it hastily. If you do that, you might get sudden pains in your brain. Technically, it’s called “icecream headache”(kanren-tsuu in Japanese), however, we often express it like this; “itai! atama ga keen to natta“. “keen” is not English, it’s just an imitative sound. Use caution when eating kakigoori

I’d like to show you some photos kakigoori in Japan. I went to the coffee shop only to take them…hahaha

The meaning of this flag means…”You can eat kakigoori in this shop.”, “We’ve started selling kakigoori“, something like that. If you want to eat kakigoori, you have to find this flag.

I oredered one melon-flavored kakigoori. It looks like…”Hey, I have many artificial colors and flavors! Why don’t you try me?”…hahaha. Incidentally, the menu said “melon-flavored” in it, but there’s totally no melon-flavored. Even if you come to Japan and try to eat this, please don’t complain about it.

This syrup was soooooooooooooooooooooooo sweet…it’s thick taste rather than sweet. Oops, there’s only ice around the center of kakigoori…ummm…Do I have to stir and neutralize them?

After kakigoori, I went swimming in the pool…so I slightly got a stomachache…

Who are you going to give that diamond ring?

July 22th, in this area, including Asia, we had a chance to see kaiki nisshoku, which means “total eclipse”.

In the Akuseki island, in which it had longest time to watch, over about 6 minutes, many tourists visited. There are less than 70 residents in the island, however, about 300 people came to watch the total eclipse. Unfortunately, they got strong and heavy rain, so they couldn’t do that.

Do you know how total eclipse can happen? The earth, in which we live, goes around the sun. The moon does as well. The orbits of them are ellipses, not circles, so depending on the positions of the earth, the moon, and the sun, you can see many kinds of shape of the moon because of their reflections of sun-light. In the event of eclipses, the earth, the moon, and the sun are lined up at the same time.

There are two prominent type of eclipse, kaiki nisshoku and kinkan nisshoku, which means “annular eclipse”. With the distance between the sun and the moon, you can difine them. If the moon is closer to the sun than the earth, it’ll be annular eclipses. If the moon is closer to the earth than the sun on the other hand, it’ll be total eclipses.

At just minutes after the completion of the eclipse, you can see it like a diamond ring because of the last sunlight in the last edge of the moon. After the total eclipse, it gets darker than usual, the temperature under the eclipse gets lower.

I couldn’t watch it clearly as well as the people in the Akuseki island because of the rain, however, Master Sampa, one of my friend, introduced a good film in his blog. I’ll show you them, either. Thank you so much, Master Sampa.

In BASARA, which was famous comics between girls, the king of red (Should I express “The red king” rather than this?) tried to show that diamond ring to Sarasa, who is not only his girlfriend but also his enemy. (It’ll be a long story if I tell the comic’s outline. It’s quite comlicated.) This time, someone tried to show it to his/her right one and tried to marry…

Speaking to the totall eclipse, I remember one song, “Total Eclipse of the Heart”, sung by WESTLIFE. The song is originally sung by Bonnie Tyler, isn’t it?

Let me show you it.

Where is my gorgeous mermaid?

I played soccer in young age, and I do like skiing. But I’ve done nothing to exercise enough lately, so I decided to start swimming last week.

Before swimming, I thought I should get swimming gears, so I went to the shop. There were many kind of swimming gears in the shop. I wondered which swimming wear I should buy. “Should I get a competition swimsuit…? What if most of the people in the pool put a casual swimming suit? I don’t like I stand out…” thinking like that, I finally chose one competition swimsuit presented by FILA.

My concerns were gone when I stood in the edge of the pool. Most of the people put competition swimsuits on.

“Well…How much did my swimming skill diminish?” I didn’t know how long and fast I can swim, so I made my way to the beginner’s lane. Except butterfly stroke, I can swim, so at first, I tried to remember how to swim freestyle, breaststroke and backstroke.

I had one subordinate who was a member of the swimming club when I was the previous company. He was surprised with my wrong way to breath while swimming. I just breathed in and out at the same time while turning my face up. “No, you’re wrong. Under water, you must breathe out through your nose and mouth so that you have to prevent water from entering your nose! When your face turn up, you can only breathe in.” said he.

I remembered that, so this time, I tried to do it. ummm…It’s quite difficult for me… 30 minutes or so later, I had been able to do it.

I think I should swim in the pool at least twice a week in order to get a good shape. For now, I’ll show you my uglyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy body below.

Oops, They’re the Japan national team member! I was wrong. I’m sorry, I can’t let you show my body. Once you look at it, your eyes must burn…hehehe

By the way, I checked and found one exciting thing on the Internet. Recently, I try to learn things in English, not in Japanese. I just wanted to learn how to swim from wikipedia (that’s totally ‘A mere scholar, a mere ass,’ isn’t it? hihihi) ,and in that page, I found it.

Here’s the page.

Breaststroke

You can see the name of “Kousuke Kitajima” in the “Notable breaststroke swimmers” section. As Japanese, I’m proud of him.

Our clan master has come back!

In order to check how I could improve my English, I take some test, such as TOEIC. I’m supposed to take the 148th TOEIC test in July 26th. It’s just around the corner, so I have to do my best.

Since I uploaded the article in this blog about ‘LEFT 4 DEAD’ before, I haven’t played games. Once I sign in games, I can’t help playing for a long time.

Last weekend, I was studying English in front of my PC, turning my Skype on. ‘What’s up, honeypotter! I’m back!’, I got one message from…my clan master.

As you already read my article, my clan master and I haven’t been able to keep in touch for a few months, so my friends asked me to found a new clan. I don’t like become a clan master so much that I was a little bit hesitated.

But he came back. ‘Hey, honeypotter! Why don’t you join in clan wars!’, being led by his words, I signed in that game.

Unfortunately, I forgot recording our play in this game, so I can’t upload the film into my YouTube channel. Next time, if I have chances to do it, (and I have chances to get good scores…hihihi) I’ll upload it.

Anyway, I couldn’t help laughing at our noob play during clan wars. First of all, no one didn’t care of other team mates, so there’s no tactics in the match. I think we generally have to secure the important position of the area, however, all of us ignored them and only ran toward enemies! It’s easier for us to wait for enemies and kill them, than to storm into them. Secondly, there was no report. ‘I got one sniper in the network room!’ ‘They’re rushing into the room! I need your help!’ during the clan wars, such reports are definitely critical, but…no one said…uuu…

One way or another, much of us already got noob…hihihi To enjoy these clan wars, I think we have to train harder than now.

Oops, who wrote that line? “in order to check how I could improve my English…” The more I concentrate the games, the less I neglect my English… ummm…that is what we call…’If you chase after two rabbits, you won’t catch either.’, isn’t it?