Lang-8にアップしている日記（２０１４年）です。
Here are some excerpts from my diary in Lang-8.
I appreciate it if you correct my English :)
("-chan," which you often see in my diary, is something used when we call or mention someone who is very young. It's also used when you call girls' names in Japan, as in "Hanako-chan," "Fumie-chan." This "-chan" plays an important role in Japanese in that it gives you a vivid image of a little kid instantly in your mind. I may not use "-chan" when I write something in English, but it has become part of my daughters' names when I call their names, so I cannot help but use it :) )
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- January 8
Peter Pan
Yesterday my mother asked my three-year-old daughter, Haru-chan, what she wanted to be in the future.
"Haru-chan, what do you want to be in the future?"
"If I become taller, I want to be an English teacher."
"Become taller? Well, what if you don't?"
"You mean if I am short in the future?"
"Uh-huh."
"If I'm short, I'll be a child forever."
- January 9
Nodding
My baby son, Yuta, has recently started to react to questions and nod. He seems to nod for whatever question it is, though.
"Yuta, do you like pudding?"
(Yuta nods)
"Yuta, do you like rubber duckies?"
(He nods)
"Yuta, will the recession in Japan last for a few more years?"
(He nods)
"Yuta, do you think carbon dioxide has much to do with the global warming?"
(He nods)
- January 13
Lick, Lick, Lick
Last night, I fell asleep on the sofa. I woke up to the laughter of my family. My daughter Tomo-chan said to me,
"Kuro-chan (our pet cat) was grooming your hair, Daddy!"
I turned to Kuro-chan and gazed at her face. She licked my nose then.
- January 14
Table Manner
After dinner, I put some of the plates together so that it is would be easier for me to take them to the sink. Watching it, my baby son, Yuta, did the same yesterday.
- January 20
Acorn Bank
My family and I usually play janken to pick out who gets to decide what to do on holidays. When I suggested we play janken yesterday, my little daughter, Tomo-chan, refused. I asked why, then she answered,
"Tomorrow is my mom's birthday, so I want her to decide what to do."
My wife took us to a huge amusement park. My baby son, Yuta, had started to enjoy a slide by himself. Seeing a pit at the end of the slide, Tomo-chan filled the pit with sand before he came down.
My wife noticed Yuta was walking with his right hand in his pocket, so she asked him what he had in there. He opened his hand, and brought out a little acorn. He placed it on her palm and went back to the tree to pick up more acorns.
- January 27
Haru's Birthday
Yesterday was the birthday of one of my two daughters, Haru-chan. She turned four.
I noticed her pair of shoes was rather worn out, so I let her choose whatever shoes she wanted in a shoe shop. When we went to the cashier, no one was there. Haru-chan then slipped across the counter, turned to me and said, "Hi there. How can I help you?"
Back at home, we ate a birthday cake. It featured Hello Kitty, her favorite character, so she was overjoyed. When my wife set fire on the four candles, our baby son Yuta, blew them out.
- February 3
Chief
Last weekend, my friends and I had a beer party at home. In my town, men of the same generation get together every other month. We take turns hosting the party, and it was my family's turn to prepare.
I went home a little late that day, and my wife told me off.
"Where have you been? You're supposed to give me a call or something!"
"I think I gave you a phone ―"
"Shut up and set the table. Did you buy the beer, soft drinks and all?"
"They are all set. Is there enough space in the fridge?"
"Huh? What are you talking about? The party is in an hour and, oh my, you think you can cool them down? Go get cool beers at the supermarket! Quick!"
(After the party)
"Honey, can you help me with the dishes?"
"Sure thing."
(My wife stood right next to me, and dried the dishes and pans that I had washed)
"Uh-uh. Oil's on the handle. Wash it again."
"Is it?"
"Uh-uh. Can't you see this egg here at the corner? Again."
"Yes, ma'am."
"What are you doing? Oh, stop using so much detergent! Rince the inside of the pan first. Got it?"
(I somehow remembered the first day as a part-time busboy at a restaurant when I was a university student)
- Febryary 4
Her Dilemma
Yesterday, my little daughter Tomo-chan and I talked about Setsubun Festival. In this Japanese festival, someone wears an ogre mask and scares the kids. Kids then throw beans at the ogre saying, "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi! (Demons, get out! Happiness, come on in!)"
"Did you enjoy Setsubun Festival at nursery?"
"Not yet. It's going to be held on 5th, not 3rd."
"How come?"
"Dunno. Something came up on the 3rd. Oh, Daddy, did you know that I am going to wear an ogre mask this year?"
"You will?"
"Yup. So will my classmates. And then, we'll go scare the two-year-olds."
"Sounds fun."
"Not really."
"What do you mean?"
"Because Yuta-kun will be there."
(Yuta is her brother)
"I don't get it. What's the problem?"
"Well, what if he notices the ogre is me? I bet he'll hug me. Oh, how embarrassing it'll be if I become a hugging ogre!"
- February 14
Unhappy Valentine
I'm a school teacher. On Valentine's Day, female students give chocolates to their favorite teachers in Japan.
During recess, a lot of girls came to the entrance of the teacher's room. During recess today, my eyes met with one of the girls.
She then walked up to me.
Three meters.
Two meters.
She then pushed me aside with her hip, giving her chocolate to a fellow teacher of mine.
- February 24
Counterattack
When I'm about to scold Tomo-chan, she opens her mouth wide and shows me her wonky front tooth to scare me away.
- March 3
Got it
I cook Sataandagi, Okinawan doughnuts, for breakfast every Sunday morning. Tomo-chan woke up first in my family last Sunday. She came to the dining room and talked to me.
"Morning Daddy. Oh, Sataandagi."
"Yup. Guess what? I made one big ring today. (Sataandagi usually come in the shape of a ball) It looks like a real doughnut! Let me give it to ya. Let's see... Strange. I think I put that ring right here... Wait a sec, will you? It's a bigger one, so it should be easy to find..."
When I looked up, the ring had already been in Tomo-chan's mouth.
- March 7
My Neighbor Totoro
I showed my students the movie "My Neighbor Totoro" on Wednesday and Thursday this week. This movie is the English version of the Japanese movie "Tonari no Totoro." We watched the movie in English with English subtitles.
In this movie, little girls meet a creature named Totoro in their neighborhood and experience a lot of wonders.
Though this movie is famous for the cute imaginary monsters of Japan, the reason why I like this movie and decided to let my students watch it is because it successfully depicts good old Japan, Japanese people and natural beauty. Every single person in this film tries to help others, and the beauty of the affection between the daughters and their parents moves you to tears.
My students wowed and gave a big hand to this film. The English used in this movie is relatively easy so they understood most of the lines.
- March 8
Mi
My two-year-old son, Yuta, has started to pronounce some vowels and consonants recently.
Yesterday I got home late and was eating dinner alone. Then Yuta and my wife came into the dining room from the bathroom. After drying his hair, she said to him, "Papa ni ittegoran, 'Oyasumi.' " (Say to Daddy, "Good night.")
Yuta then turned to me and said,
"Mi."
- March 17
Graduation
My daughter Tomo-chan graduated from her nursery last week. Her homeroom teacher, Ms. Kikuchi, praised every single kid in her class and gave them the certificate in front of the parents in her classroom. She then thanked us in tears saying she really had a great time with the children because they were all kind and diligent. Some mothers put down their cameras and started to cry.
Back at home, my family and I celebrated Tomo-chan's graduation with a feast (I cooked!)
Yesterday, I took Tomo-chan and Haru-chan to their elementary school, as part of a practice; she's going to walk to school by herself from this April on. I taught her how to cross the street, how to see the traffic lights, and the route with the safest roads with guardrails. To every instruction I gave she said, "I know that."
"No matter who tells you to come with him on your way home, mind you, don't follow him. You'll be kidnapped." I said.
"Daddy, I know that." she replied.
"What if someone walks up to you and says, 'Your mom is sick! Hop in!'"?
"(Giggling) Nope."
"What if someone says, 'I'll buy you some puddings, come with me.'"?
"Nope."
"Atta girl. What if ―"
(She grabbed my arm so that I wouldn't be run over by a car at the intersection)
- March 22
Yuta
My wife was suffering from the flu and face paralysis at the same time last week. Her headache last night was so intense that she started to cry. Then our baby son Yuta dove himself on to her chest. She hugged him for a while, and soon went back to sleep.
- March 25
Spokeswoman
My family and I visited my wife's uncle and his family on Sunday. My daughter Tomo-chan, who is very talkative at home, was dead quiet in front of them. My other and younger daughter, Haru-chan, replied all the questions for her sister;
"Your grandpa bought you a new school backpack, right? Is it red?"
"Yep."
"How was the graduation ceremony at nursery?"
"Terrific."
"Did you sing a lot of songs?"
"Nope, just a couple of them."
(Haru-chan didn't take part in the ceremony)
- March 28
Advice
My little daughter Haru-chan advised her big sister Tomo-chan last night.
Tomo-chan: "Gee, I can't resist this croquette. But I don't want to get fat. What should I do?"
Haru-chan: "Huh? That's nothing to worry about, sis. All you have to do when you get fat is go to the toilet."
viola, the "guest" flower in the flower bed
- April 4
Magical Glasses
(I wear contact lenses during the day, and wear glasses in the evening. My eyesight is so weak that I wear a pair of very thick glasses. My eyes look a little small when people see them through the glasses)
Last night my daughter Haru-chan advised me of something.
"Daddy, why don't you take off your glasses while eating dinner?"
"Take off my glasses? Ah, I don't get it. Why?"
"Then your food won't get smaller."
- April 15
Tooth Harrassment
(I hate to see wonky teeth)
When I help my daughter Tomo-chan brush her teeth, she pokes at a front tooth of hers with her tongue.
- April 21
Blowfish and Mermaid
In the bathroom last night, my daughter Haru-chan showed me her belly and said, "Look, I ate three rice balls and two bowls of stew. My belly is now bigger than grandpa's!"
My other daughter, Tomo-chan, pretended to swim in the bathtub with her ankles crossed. Then she said, "Guess what, Daddy? I'm a mermaid."
- April 25
Hairstyle Show
Last night, my wife's hairstyle looked a little weird, so I called her over and said,
"Ah, you know what?"
"What, honey?"
"Your hairstyle is weird."
She choked my neck for seconds and went to the mirror room. She came back and asked, "How do I look now?"
"Ah, your face still looks a little weird. Why don't you down some of your hair to the front of your forehead and cheeks?"
She went back to the mirror again. Minutes later, she came back and said, "Ta-da!"
"Kind of okay." I said.
"What do you mean, kind of?"
She went back to the mirror, when her mother said,
"Stop it and do some housework!"
- May 5
Command
Yuta sometimes walks and sometimes I carry him on my shoulders.
He stands in front of me, turns his back and moves his legs apart when he feels like it.
- May 6
Children's Day
Yesterday my family and I visited my aunt Mitsuko. Her daughter (and so my cousin) Etsuko was there too. Since it was Children's Day in Japan yesterday, they treated us to a delicious feast with sushi, pizzas and desserts.
Aunt Mitsuko hugged my two-year-old son Yuta, who she was meeting for the first time, and patted her hand on my shoulder. She asked, "Are you healthy now?" I suffered from cancer 12 years ago, and she visited me in the hospital.
In the lunch break, she gave my three children Otoshidama money gifts, which is usually given on New Year's Day. Cousin Etsuko gave them five big toys. My children were overjoyed.
My wife and I refused to receive such luxurious gifts, but aunt Mitsuko wouldn't listen. She said, "Your mother did a lot for my daughter Etsuko. You deserve them."
I remembered a passage that I had read days before; "You live forever if you give your kindness or wisdom to the next generation."
My mother passed away 11 years ago, but she casually shows up in my life and teaches me something.
- May 12
Mother's Day
It was Mother's Day yesterday. I took my family to a Chinese restaurant.
I ordered a course, and nine dishes came one after another.
The room had a beautiful night view, and my mother and wife looked pleased.
Every time a dish came to the table, my little daughters asked,
"Daddy, will the dessert come next?"
- May 14
Remedy
I had a cold two days in a row till yesterday.
Feeling dizzy, I had to go to bed early for the last two days.
Last night, I woke up to the feel in my hand; my wife held my hand.
Now I'm fine and dandy.
- May 21
A Call
I received a phone call from my wife at office today. Usually, I go to a locker room to talk on the phone, but I was in the middle of something and there were not so many co-workers around me, so I decided to stay at my desk and talk with her, thinking I would make it short.
It was about a meeting at nursery of my children. My daughters seemed to be around my wife and they kept shouting, "DADDY! DADDY!!"
When I hung up the phone, my co-worker in front of me said, "Hi, Daddy."
- June 6
Hydrangea Festival
My family and I went to see a hydrangea festival yesterday. There were many kinds of hydrangeas in beautiful colors and with unique names. The most unique name I thought was, Arigato (Thank You).
Haru-chan has a habit of placing her palm onto either my belly or my wife's. While we were walking along the road viewing hydrangeas, she walked up to a stranger who was wearing similar clothes to my wife's, and placed her palm on her belly.
- June 12
Three?
Haru-chan asked her brother Yuta a question last night.
"Yuta, what is one plus one?"
He smiled and put up two fingers, which surprised us.
"Oh my, do you know the answer? You must be the smartest two-year-old in the world!" I said.
"Oh, oh, how about this one; two plus two?" Haru-chan asked.
Yuta smiled and put up two fingers again.
"Uh-uh. Wrong, Yuta. The answer is ― three!"
- June 19
King Forgetful
I forgot to wear a belt today. Yesterday I left my cell phone at home. I forgot something the day before yesterday, but I forget what that was.
No matter how careful I try to be, I end up forgetting one or two things a day.
I remembered this morning the nickname that one of the homeroom teachers from elementary school once gave me: “King Forgetful”
Here’s some extreme cases: I left my school bag at home. I wore my pajamas to school.
- June 24
Ms. Unreasonable
Last night, Haru-chan started to tell me off as usual.
"Daddy! I haven't forgiven you for that!"
"For what?"
"Don't you remember? The thing at the curry restaurant, of course!"
"Hold on. When was it? We haven't been to a curry restaurant in weeks..."
"Shut up and listen. How come you made me angry?"
"Did I do anything wrong?"
"Yes, you did."
"What did I do?"
"You said something bad."
"And what did I say?"
"I don't remember."
- June 30
Nocturnal Girl
June is the rainy season in Japan. The weather was fine yesterday, so I decided to plant some new flowers in the flower bed. My three children helped me with the flowers; my daughters Tomo-chan and Haru-chan leveled the soil, and my son Yuta collected the small plastic pots the new flowers had been in.
We took a rest and had some barley tea in the shade. Tomo-chan and Haru-chan started to quarrel.
"Haru, it's my turn."
"No, my turn."
"Shut up and give it to me."
"(Crying) How come you drink it again! You've already drunk it three times!"
"This is because I'm taller than you."
"That doesn't have to do with barley tea!"
"Huh! You aren't even tall enough to climb up that tree!"
"Yes, I can."
"Really? Show me."
"Well, not now."
"Then when?"
"I think I can climb it at night."
- July 21
Where Have All the Angels Gone?
My third child and first son, Yuta, is two years old. He sometimes wears his sisters' shirts and hats, making him look like an angel.
Last evening, though, I learned that he was no angel.
I was doing some laundry in the house. Yuta rolled up a towel and put it under his shirt.
He came up to me, patted me and said, "Opai(Boobs)."
- July 22
World Quickest Bow
My family and I went to a swimming pool yesterday. My daughter Tomo-chan has recently started to learn how to swim at elementary school. My wife and I held her hands and helped her with her flutter kicks.
She is still afraid of putting her face in the water. She walked up to me and said,
"Daddy, I think I can put my face in the water longer than the last time."
"Okay, show me what you can do," I said.
She hesitated a little and threw her face into the water. In 0.3 seconds she jumped up and yelled, "I did it! Five seconds!"
- July 29
Interview
Yesterday, I met Tomo-chan's homeroom teacher for the first time. I visited her at elementary school for a 15-minute interview. Being a school teacher myself, I'm accustomed to interviewing parents in this kind of end-of-term interviews, but I had never been interviewed before, so I was a bit nervous.
Tomo-chan is a mischevous girl and often makes her younger sister cry. So I asked the teacher, Ms. Tashiro, if she was hitting her classmates.
She looked surprised and said no. She then showed me the test scores of the first school term. All the scores were full marks.
"Tomo-chan looks me in the eye in class and often nods to show that she understands. I'm always impressed." she said.
It was my turn to be surprised; Tomo-chan has never boasted of her scores at home. I didn't know she hadn't missed a single point in her tests.
Compared to my daughter, I was a bit boastful and snobbish kid. Having learned arithmetic from my big brother, I was good at the subject. I once scored four full marks in a row. My teacher told students to review the four tests in one class. I asked her, "What should a student who got all full marks do?"
Tomo-chan is humble, and 100 times as attractive a child as me in my elementary school days.
I received some summer assignments and the morning glories that Tomo-chan had been taking care of, and went home.
At night, I cooked Tomo-chan's favorite, Okonomiyaki vegetable pancakes.
"I met Ms. Tashiro today." I talked to her during dinner.
"Oh, really? How come?" She blushed.
I patted her head and said,
"She talked all the great things about you. I'm proud of you."
- July 31
Two of Us
Last evening, my daughter Tomo-chan and children in the neighborhood practiced the Bon dance for the Bon festival in my district. The Bon festival is held every summer to welcome and remember our ancestors.
When the practice was over, we ate ice cream together and left the gym. On our way home, I wanted to carry her on my shoulders; ever since her younger sister and brother were born, I seldom carried her on my shoulders.
She ran to me and hopped on my shoulders. She was heavier than I expected, but I managed to take her home.
- August 6
Father & Son Outing
Yesterday my two-year-old son Yuta and I went out together. He had a high fever the day before, so I took him to the hospital first.
The doctor told me that he had a "hand, foot and mouth disease." I received an ointment and left the hospital. In the passenger's seat he started to smile, so I wondered why. I turned back to find a couple of nurses waving at Yuta.
My wife usually takes him to the hospital, so I don't know about the nurses there very much, but I'm sure Yuta is popular with them; he moved like a robot to the doctor's directions, and the nurses marveled and kept saying, "Atta boy!"
My mother used to take me and my brothers to the same hospital when I was a boy. Looking at Yuta, I remembered my mother pedaling her bicycle to the hospital with me on the back seat; it was in her forties that she got a driver's license.
After leaving the hospital, we went to a ramen noodle restaurant. Yuta pushed the emergency button of a vending machine, and I apologized to the shop clerk.
We ordered a bowl of ramen and gyoza dumplings for lunch. When leaving, Yuta picked out and received a free snack. To my surprise, it was the very snack I used to like in my childhood. He held it in front of his chest like a treasure. Back in the car, I told him to eat it at home and placed it in a compartment.
Lastly we went to the supermarket to pick up the food for dinner. It's been hectic at work for my wife, so I decided to cook something. I placed Yuta on the shopping cart. His shoe happened to hit my leg, and I pretended to be hurt. He started to laugh out loud and gave me a barrage of kicks. Green peppers looked tasty, so I bought some for chinjao rosu, a type of Chinese food.
When I paid and placed him down on the floor, he looked me in the eye and put out his arm. I didn't know what this meant for a while, when I found out he was offering to help with the shopping bags. I put most of the food into a bigger plastic bag, and hung a smaller one on Yuta's arm. He started to toddle like a penguin. Hand in hand, we reached the car.
When I lifted him onto his car seat, he pointed at something. I wondered and looked in that direction, and noticed him pointing at the snack he had received at the ramen restaurant. I burst into laughter and said, "Boy, so you remembered that." I gave it back to him, and he held it tight again.
- August 11
Warning
My daughters and I took a bath last night.
Tomo-chan: "Daddy, when can we go to the swimming pool again?"
Me: "Let's see... We can go when Yuta (her brother) is well."
Haru-chan: "We can go to the swimming pool without him."
Me: "Hey, how come you say such a terrible thing?"
Haru-chan: "But, he drowns when he swims."
Me: "We can help him to swim. Mind you, we are a family and no one is left behind. Got it?"
Haru-chan became dead silent and started to glare at me. While her sister and I were talking, she kept kicking my legs.
When the two girls went out of the bathroom, Haru-chan shut the door and said something to Tomo-chan. Then Tomo-chan talked to me through the door.
"Daddy, Haru-chan told me to tell you that she is still glaring at you."
- August 28
How to Disappear
Yuta teased our pet cat Kuromi last night. I stopped him, looked him in the eye and scolded,
"No, stop it! Don't step on her tail. It hurts."
Yuta looked stunned. He then picked up a piece of origami paper and covered his face with it.
- August 30
Pillow Fairy
My daughters take turns sleeping in my bed. Last night, it was Haru-chan's turn.
She brought a big pillow with her.
"Daddy, take a look."
"Oh, what a big pillow. Did you ask Grandma and Grandpa?"
"Yep. I'm sleeping on it tonight."
"Can I use it too?"
"No!"
I chased after her and tickled her. She laughed a lot and fought back with the pillow.
Turning off the ceiling light, I closed my eyes and tried to sleep for a while. Haru-chan then slowly came up to me, grabbed and raised my head, and placed my head on the pillow. She then slowly crawled away.
- September 8
She Is Angry
Yesterday my children and I went out for a family outing. My wife was at work, so I borrowed her car; her car is equipped with children's seats, and my car isn't.
This morning, I realized at work that I had forgotten to return my wife's car key to her, and had left it in my shoulder bag. I received a phone call from my wife this morning.
"Honey, don't you know where my car key is?"
"I'm sorry ― I have the key here in my bag."
"Oh. And you're at your office now?"
"That's right. I'm really sorry. How did you take the kids to the nursery?"
"What time do you come home tonight?"
"What time do I ―? Ah, I bet Grandpa took them there. Look, I'm not gonna make this kind of stupid mistake ―"
"What time do you come home tonight?"
"Gee, that depends ― well, would you like me to clean your car? I'd be happy to ―"
"WHAT TIME?"
"I'm staying at a hotel tonight."
- September 18
Uh-huh?
I hate spiders. I live in a countryside and sometimes come across spiders, big and brown ones, at home. I'm scared to death of them, and run away and hide myself behind my children whenever I see one. My wife seems a little fed up with my fear of spiders. I saw a huge spider two days in a row, and I yelled.
"That does it! What's with this stupid house? The next time I see a spider, remember, I'm LEAVING! Yes, I will! Do not stop me, honey. I mean it!"
"Uh-huh."
- September 22
FBI
On the third Sunday every month, elementary school kids and their parents clean the nearby shrine. Yesterday, my daughter Tomo-chan and I went there. She raked the ground and I picked up some fallen leaves.
On our way back home, I stopped by a convenience store to buy some fruit juice and small chocolates. My wife doesn't like me giving our children sweets at convenience stores, so I warned her.
"Look, since you cleaned the shrine very hard, I'll buy you a piece of chocolate and juice. But this is a secret to your sister and brother, and especially, your mom. Got it?"
"Got it."
"We ate nothing. We drank nothing. We went to the shrine, cleaned, and went straight back to our house."
"Okay."
We finished the sweets and went home. I had some more neighborhood chores, so Tomo-chan went in the house and I went to a nearby dump.
After that, I finally went home. My wife was drying the laundry in the yard. I talked to her.
"I'm home."
"Was it tasty?"
- September 24
Okonomiyaki
Last night I cooked okonomiyaki Japanese vegetable pancakes for dinner. Okonomiyaki is my children's favorite. When I turned over one piece after another, my son Yuta stood up on his chair and clapped his hands. My daughter Tomo-chan praised my turning okonomiyaki well by slapping her grandfather's belly.
- October 11
In Love
Tomo-chan seems to like one of her classmates, H-kun. She received something from him yesterday, and told me about it last night.
"Daddy, let me show you something!"
"Oh, what a cute jewel. Where'd you get that?"
"H-kun gave it to me in exchange for my letter."
After she left the room, I talked to my wife.
"So, is H-kun Tomo's boyfriend or something?"
"Kind of. She seems to be No.2."
"What do you mean, 'No.2'?"
"Tomo-chan says there's this girl who K-kun likes the best."
"Oops. Rival."
"But he likes Tomo-chan too because she often helps him with something at school."
"I see. And why does he like another girl more?"
"(Giggling) Because she's pretty!"
"Ha ha. Boys! But he gave Tomo a mock jewel, I bet she has a good cha-"
"Psst."
"― chance to be ―"
"Oh, shut up, will you?"
"What?"
"(Whispering) Tomo's behind the closet."
- October 14
Director
My wife gets busy at the dinner table.
"Tomo-chan, stop dancing and eat."
"Haru-chan, chopsticks are not toys."
"Tomo, don't tease Yuta-kun."
"Haru-chan, how many times must we go through this?"
"Tomo, stop yelling at your brother."
"Haru, you're supposed to go to the bathroom before the meal."
"STOP YELLING AT HIM."
"Yuta-kun, that's not the food."
"Haru, you don't have to tell me about the size of your poop, now take your seat."
"Elbows off the table."
"Tomo, get back to your seat and eat some vegetable."
- October 28
Speaking Cat
I speak to my pet cat. I try not to, though, when my family are around. But I was so surprised at something last night that I accidentally "talked" to my cat Kuromi in front of my family.
"Oh, what do you mean, 'Meow?' You and I have just come in the house, haven't we? (Holding her up) You came back just now and are asking me to open the kitchen door now, Kuromi? Are you serious? Oh, I get it. You're teasing me, aren't you? (Kissing her on the forehead ten times) No, I'm not that gullible. No meows, I'm not falling for it! (Merry-go-rounding and kissing her) No, I won't let you out..."
(I turned to the dinner table and noticed my mother and three children had stopped eating and were gazing at me)
- November 17
That's Not Ours
My family and I went to a park yesterday. My two-year-old son, Yuta, has recently started to run up to our family car in the parking lot and wave at me. I raise him up and praise him, "Atta boy!"
Yesterday, though, he went to a similar white car, a total stranger's one, and started to bang on the hood, yelling, "Daddy!"
- November 19
Thank You Letter
I've been teaching the same students, 108 of them, for the last six years from junior high to senior high. I gave them a B4 sheet of weekend assignment every weekend. In the last assignment, No. 204, I let them write a thank you letter to their parents in English. (I'm thinking of translating the letters into Japanese and giving them to the parents)
One student, who was reluctant to come to our school at first, wrote as follows;
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My dear parents,
This is the first time in six years I have written a letter to you. I’m a bit embarrassed, but I’ll try to express the feelings in my heart.
To tell the truth, I didn’t want to come to ABC Junior High School at first; I wanted to go to a different school. I failed in the entrance exam for the school, so I was depressed for many days. When I came to ABC for the first time, I felt like crying. Never did I imagine at that time that I would enjoy a wonderful school life! Now I’m blessed with a lot of good friends and teachers. I couldn’t experience this school life without your support.
I can’t express my thanks enough, but I want you to know that I really appreciate what you offered. We’ve been quarreling over something small recently, haven’t we? Maybe I need to think about your feelings more.
Please take good care of yourself.
Your son
- November 25
My Friend Bird
My children like the little zoo in my town, so I take them there very often. I haven't counted how many times, but probably we have gone to the zoo about 50 times in the last five years.
There's this big green parrot who is not very friendly for a zoo animal. Every time I go to the zoo, I hold out my forefinger to greet him (I'm not sure if it's a he or a she, but his beak is strong and the bite hurts, so I think it a he). He then shrieked and threatened me, and bit me on the finger each time.
Yesterday I went to the zoo with my children. As always, I went to him and held out my finger, saying hi. Although he still shrieks, he has bitten me gently since I don't know when. After he bit me for the second time, I held out my arm right in front of him. He gazed at me in the eye for a while, then slowly, stepped on my arm. He bit my sweater a couple of times, then stopped it and closed his eyes.
Seconds later, I let him step back onto his usual perch.
It took me five years to be friends with the bird.
- December 3
Exchanging Names
The other day my students and I held our last oral English exam, the 37th that is, in six years (junior high through senior high). Usually for my exams I give the students three different tasks (textbook reading and Q&A / one-minute speech / conversation with me) at random, but I wanted to have a conversation with each of them. So I put away the score sheet and talked with them in English.
One of the students, Yuta, began,
"I heard you named your son Yuta. Why is that?"
So I replied,
"I named him after you."
I have respected this student Yuta ever since I first became his homeroom teacher. When I was cleaning the classroom by myself, he came over and helped me. He always thinks about people around him. Six years ago I decided to name my future son Yuta.
"If you have a son in the future, what would you like to name him?" I asked him teasingly.
He blushed and murmured for a while, then replied,
"Masaru."
(Masaru is my given name)
- December 4
Mediator
Last night I showed my wife a sample book of New Year's Cards that I bought on my way home. A CDR including data was attached to the book. I suggested we use the best frame in the digital camera section, which she opposed saying we could settle for a mere illustration. I held her on the arm and pleaded, when Haru-chan grabbed my wrist and said,
"Hey, hands off!"
- December 8
You Are the One
December 12th is my mother's birthday. Last night my family and I talked about what to do on the day.
Haru-chan: "Daddy, what are we going to do on Grandma's birthday?"
Me: "We'll give her a present and eat sushi together."
Haru-chan: "Yes! I'm gonna eat ikura (salmon roe), shrimp, and, and ..."
Tomo-chan: "Haru, don't eat Grandma's ikura again. It's her favorite."
(Tomo-chan is the one who always snatches Grandma's ikura first)
- December 15
Communicating with a Two-Year-Old
It was warm on Sunday, so I took my children to the zoo. When I reached the zoo, I asked my two-year-old son, Yuta,
"What (animal) do you like the best?"
He answered,
"Curry."
On our way home, we dropped by the doughnut shop for an afternoon snack. Yuta is not tall enough to reach the top of the straw, so I let him sit on my lap. He sometimes scooped some cake sponge of his and brought it to my mouth. Then he said, "Ako."
"Huh? What do you mean, ako?" I asked.
I thought for a while and knew he had meant "Dakko (Hug me)." So I hugged him on the belly.
- December 24
First New Year's Cards
I finally finished writing my New Year's greeting cards last night. On the greeting side, I used photos of my children I took this year.
Since I had made many extra cards, I gave each of my daughters a card so that they could send them to their teachers. I suggested they write something and put some stickers on the back. I'm a school teacher and have lots of cute stickers to give my students.
Haru-chan came back to me after a while to show me her card. It had lots of pretty and colorful picture stickers, including one which said, "The Year 2005."
- December 30
Norio
Every December, I have an end of the year drinking party with my best friend, Norio. We get together at an Izakaya bar, have beer, eat and catch up. We used to be co-workers in Nagoya 16 years ago, and we've been getting along since then.
"I still remember the message board I saw in your hospital room." He said.
I suffered from a terminal cancer when I was 25; friends from university came over and wrote me encouraging messages.
"Which made me stop thinking of committing suicide." I said.
I wanted to thank Norio for the book "Usagi no Me," which he gave to help encourage me in the hospital. But I was a bit embarrassed to do so and kept silent.
Usagi no Me is a book about a young female teacher who struggles with elementary school children. After reading it, I decided to fight against cancer and become a teacher.
Over the next 10 years, Norio saw me get over cancer, become a teacher and get married. He cried at my wedding, and so did I. Now I have three children.
"Well, I wish you another good year." Norio said before going home.
"Same to you." I replied.
He then gave me a hug.
It's not so common for men to hug in Japan. But I know what the hug meant and no word could express it.
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