今日のメモ-サザン記事とThe Remains of the Day-

☆　今日のメモ　☆

・Fortune finally favored Imada Ryuji.
運命は～に味方する
（Fortune favors the brave. 「運命の女神は勇者に味方する」という諺より）

・But there was no surprise about Imada's victory ― the Japanese star, who worked his way up from the ground in America, had finished second on tour twice in 2008 before his breakthrough win.
～からたたき上げる

・Along the way, Jamie picked up a few tricks.
ここに至るまで

・Being a rock star and doing lights still don't pay the bills in New York these days.
家計を賄う

・Finding new ways to communicate old ideas will give you a real lift.
活気づける

・You've been talking about saving for something big (like a car or trip) for ages, but now it's time to put your money where your mouth is and actually start saving.
口ではなく行動で証明する

・Expect major plans to be put on hold for the next couple of weeks.
put ～ on hold : ～を保留する

・Sensible Virgo goes out the window as the New Moon stirs up your reputation zone.
完全に消える

・You're far too laid-back to be a snob.
こだわらない、おおらかな、気軽な、リラックスした、くつろいだ

・You might want to shape up your act if you don't want people looking down their noses at you.
shape up one's act : シャキッとする
look down one's nose at ～ : ～を見下す

・You've got a big heart and a live-and-let-live attitude.
「自分生き、他も生かせよ」の姿勢

・You're probably a name-dropper as well.
有名人の名前を親しげに言う人

　　　　　　　　　　- from the Mainichi Weekly -

・Then he came towards the table and stopped, standing to attention before me as though reporting to an officer in the army.
気を付けの姿勢で立つ、不動の姿勢を取る

・And so it proved in good time.
やがて、そのうちに、（時間通りに、早く、早めに）

・'You'll excuse me, sir, but like I said before, we don't stand on ceremony here when it comes to express opinions.'
堅苦しくて打ちとけない、儀式ばる

・I perceived, of course, that Mr Harry and I were rather at cross purposes on this matter, and that it would be far too complicated a task for me to explain myself more clearly to these people.
互いに意味を食い違えて、目的（意図）が相反して

・'And when you think that it was my good fortune to have had their ear on many great issues of the day, yes, when I think back, I do feel a certain gratitude.'
（有力な人に）聞いてもらう

・'But the likes of us here, sir, we can go year in year out and never even lay eyes on a real gentleman ― other than maybe Dr Carlisle.'
終始、絶え間なく、年々歳々（= every year）

・I was by this point well on top of the situation, but the gentlemen went on laughing covertly.
状況を把握する（管理する）
cf. on top of ～ : ～を支配して、～に精通して、～を掌握して、～を上手く処理して

・While of course this was a slightly uncomfortable situation, it was hardly the most difficult, or even an especially unusual one to encounter in the course of one's duties, and you will no doubt agree that any decent professional should expect to take such events in his stride. I had, then, all but forgotten the episode by the following morning, when Lord Darlington came into the billiard room while I was up on a step-ladder dusting portraits, and said: 'Look here, Stevens, it was dreadful.'
take ～ in one's stride : ～を楽々とやり遂げる、～に冷静に対処する、～を苦もなく飛び越える
all but : ほとんど、すんでのところで、（～を除いて全て）

・It was, as I recall it, one of those moments that brought home how much the pressures of life had taken their toll on his lordship over a relatively small number of years.
bring home : 痛感させる
take one's toll on ～ : ～に損失をもたらす、～の一部を犠牲としてひきとる

・'Germany and Italy have set their houses in order by acting.'
自分の問題を解決する、財政状態をよくする、秩序を回復する

・One need only look at the butlers who attempted to put such an approach into practice, and one will see that their careers ― and in some cases they were highly promising careers ― came to nothing as a direct consequence.
失敗に終わる、徒労に終わる、水泡に帰す

・How can one possibly be held to blame in any sense because, say, the passage of time has shown that Lord Darington's efforts were misguided, even foolish?
hold ～ to blame : ～に責めを負わせる

・We exchanged a few pleasantries as we climbed a narrow road between tall trees, he inquiring after how I had slept at the Taylors and so forth.
～など（= and so on）

・'He's entertaining enough to listen to for a while, but really, he's all in a muddle.
支離滅裂で、まごついて、ぼんやりして

・Any fears I had that some deeper trouble was afflicting the Ford were laid to rest when I tried the ignition and heard the engine come to life with a healthy murmur.
lay ～ to rest : ～を忘れ去る、～に関心を失う

・'Just as well his father's not alive to read this.'
it is just as well (that) ～ : ～とはついている、～とは好都合だ

・'On the contrary, Miss Kenton.'
とんでもない、（それとは反対に、それどころか）

・I intend to go with or without your blessing, Mt Stevens, I wish to make this clear.'
～があろうとなかろうと、～を持っていようがいまいが

　　　　　　　　　　- from The Remains of the Day (UK)-

After flipping through the Mainichi Weekly of this week's issue yesterday, I found the article reporting the news about Southern All Stars' indefinite break.
The article is this:

Popular band Southern All Stars to take a break

Southern All Stars, arguably one of Japan's most loved bands, will take an indefinite break at the end of this year, their record company announced on May 18.
"We hope to get together at some point in the future," the band said in a comment released through its record company, while ruling out the possibility of dissolving the band.
Headed by 52-year-old vocalist Kuwata Keisuke, the band debuted in June 1978 with the hit song Katte ni Sindbad. Their songs were so popular that some of them were even covered by foreign artists, including Ellie My Love by Ray Charles.
In August this year, the band will give a special concert at Nissan Stadium in Yokohama, commemorating the 30th anniversary of their debut.

Unlike Japanese other media, I think this article seems to be written much more accurately with no irresponsible speculation.
Maybe it's because, I guess, it doesn't have enough space to describe their opinions on the news, though.  (^^;
Anyway, my dearest Keisuke Kuwata said firmly and repeatedly on his radio program on May 24, the day before my TOEIC, that he had no intention of dissolving the band at all!
So there's no need to worry about absurd rumors having come out one after another.
His words made me relieved and much more addicted to him, and when I heard he saying he felt as if they should refrain from resuming the band's activities immediately because various kinds of media had reported the news as though somebody had died, I couldn't help laughing with my SO, who also likes their songs. (^^)

連日「今日のメモ」ばかりというのは如何なものか？と思いつつ、諸々の仕事にひとまず区切りがついた今、するべきことはただ一つ！
そう。　眠ることです。~(=^‥^A
全く無意味に長くかかった「The Remains of the Day」も、あと数日で読み終われるかな～という感じ。
某HPに「"Never Let Me Go"は"The Remains of the Day"よりも少し敷居が高い」と書いてありましたが、これ、私は全く逆だと思います。
前者は主人公が30代の現代女性（SFですが・・・）で、彼女の回想を軸に描かれているので、当然出てくる単語もさほど難しくありません。
後者は第二次大戦後、年老いた執事が車で旅行をしながら様々な人と出会う「現在」と、自分の全盛期を振り返る「過去」とが交互に描かれており、当然、辞書で〔堅〕という注釈付きの小難しい単語や言い回しが多くなります。
ただ、堅苦しいお話かというと、そんなことは全くなく、時折クスッと笑えさえします。
もうすぐ、も～すぐで、“彼”が“彼女”と再会するはずです。
残り数十ページでいったいどういう展開が私を待っているのか、全く想像できないのですが、何がきても大丈夫！
余韻に浸る時間はた～～っぷりあるもの♪ (^m^*)

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今日のメモ-ショック！-

☆　今日のメモ　☆

・So she has set her sights on winning new fans abroad, starting with Japan.
～を目指す

・"I fell in love with Japan the first time I came here ― absolutely fell in love with it. I would live here in a heartbeat," she says.  "I think I must have been Japanese in another lifetime."
in a heartbeat : すぐに
in another lifetime : 前世で

・Hu and Fukuda, hoping to underscore the positive during his five-day stay, were to use ping-pong and pandas to take the edge off more contentious problems.
和らげる

・A spate of suicide by people mixing chemicals to create deadly hydrogen sulfide gas has occurred across Japan, while family members and residents have also fallen victim by inadvertently inhaling the gas.
相次ぐ

・Inhaling by hydrogen sulfide several times at a concentration of between 800 and 1,000 parts per million causes instant death.
百万分の（=ppm）

・Former world's No. 4 Date Kimiko was beaten in the final of the Kangaroo Cup International Ladies Open on May 4, taking some of the shine off her surprise return to professional tennis.
～から輝きを奪う

・Yet as a five-year cancer survivor, Goodrem has become an inspiration to an entire generation of Australians and enthusiastically taken on the role of advocate for a range of causes.
take on the role of ～ : ～の役割を引き受ける
a range of causes : 様々な主義、運動

・"Next time he goes to prison, he's going to stay there until his time is finished."
刑期を完全に終えるまで

・People with safes full of money were glad to hear that Ben Price was at work trying to catch Mr. Valentine.
～の逮捕に乗り出す

・Someone who "wouldn't hurt (or harm) a fly" is gentle and inoffensive.  It is often used in defense of someone.
cf. butter would not melt in one's mouth

・There are many situations where it would be convenient if you could be a "fly on the wall." This means to watch and listen to others without being noticed.

・The spider's web is often used to describe complicated situations where many people are involved.  For example, "After much questioning about the politician's funds, it was revealed that the tangled web of those involved included the heads of large corporations."

・She worked as a translator for the US government to make ends meet.
収支内でやりくりする、収支を合わせる

・"To tell the truth, a week ago I bought SS Company's shares on margin, and they rose as much as 50 percent, and I sold them off at their peak.  I made a killing on them."  "Good for you.  I bought Happy & Company's shares, but I eventually took a bath on them. I wish I were in your shoes."
on margin : 信用取引で
make a killing (on ～) : （～で）大もうけをする
take a bath (on ～) : （～で）大損をする
I wish I were in your shoes : うらやましい

・He began performing annually: Godspell, West Side Story and Two Gentlemen of Verona to name a few, and always the leading role.
幾つか例を挙げると

・You're buzzing with entrepreneurial spirit and have the "get up and go" to make it happen.
buzz with ～ : ～に溢れる
get up and go : 積極性

・Less than half of eligible people will have placed their X on the voting slip on May, according to estimates.  That is despite Ken Livingstone, the only mayor London has had, running neck and neck with challenger Boris Jphnson.
～と互角に戦う

・Johnson's moniker is down to his hair and combative style of speech.
～による

・First Livingstone was suspended for four weeks because he likened a Jewish reporter on the London Evening Standard to a Nazi concentration camp guard.
liken ～ to ... : ～を...に例える
concentration camp guard : 強制収容所の見張り

・Johnsonis a colourful character, but is best known for putting his foot in it.
失言する、ドジを踏む

・This week is the time to walk your talk as you commit yourself to a relationship.
walk one's talk : 有言実行する
commit oneself to : ～に身をゆだねる、打ち込む、専心する

　　　　　　　　　　- from the Mainichi Weekly -

・'I've had people try to put one over on me many times, and let me tell you, gentlemen, few people succeed."
～をだます、かつぐ

・'But it is out of respect for your views, Mr Lewis, that I feel one should not simply cast them to one side as though they were uttered by some soapbox eccentric.'
～に敬意を表して

・'As it happens, sir, a doctor is on his way.'
たまたま、折り合いよく、あいにく

・Such are, of course, precisely the values embodied in the Hayes Society's idea of a 'distinguished household', and the fact that it was confidently making such pronouncements as late as 1929 shows clearly why the demise of that society was inevitable, if not long overdue.  For by that time, such thinking was quite out of step with that of the finest men emerging to the forefront of our profession.
long overdue : ずっと前に始まっている、（支払期限がとっくに過ぎている、待望の）
（cf. although long overdue : 遅きに失したとはいえ）
out of step : 時代遅れで、調和しないで

・This was opened by a man dressed in his shirt sleeves, wearing no tie, but who, upon my asking for the chauffeur of the house, replied cheerfully that I had 'hit the jackpot first time'.
大当たりをとる、大成功する

・'You'll kick yourself for missing it.'
～のために後悔する、～したことで（自分を）責める

　　　　　　　　　　- from The Remains of the Day (UK) -

I was shocked to hear the news that my dearest Southern All Stars announced their indefinite break from their musical activities despite my having expected that in advance.
The shock was more than I expected.
It was like feeling a huge void in my heart.
I think now, however, I'll never make an end of being a fan of them, and I'm going to look forward to their coming back smiling and vigorously waving to us.
Needless to say, it's after the 30th anniversary live supposed to be held in this August at Nissan Studium in Yokohama is over that I look forward to it.
Yes, I love Southern All Stars as much as Keisuke Kuwata.  :)

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今日のメモ-携帯販売員からオペラ歌手へ-

☆　今日のメモ　☆

・I am sorry to say this, but there would appear to have been a number of houses in recent times, some of the highest pedigree, which have tended to take a competitive attitude towards each other and have not been above 'showing off' to guests a butler's mastery of such trivial accomplishments.
be not above doing ～ : ～しかねない、～するのもまんざらでない

・And I would maintain that for all his limited command of English and his limited general knowledge, he not only knew all there was to know about how to run a house, he did in his prime come to acquire that 'dignity in keeping with his position', as the Hayes Society puts it.
for all ～ : ～にも関わらず、（～がほとんどないことを考慮して）
in one's prime : 全盛期に、最盛期に（で、の）

・For when I look back over his career, I can see with hindsight that he must have striven throughout his years somehow to become that butler of his story.
後から考えてみると

・For although I am sure he never had the chance to encounter a tiger beneath the dining table, when I think over all that I know or have heard concerning him, I can think of at least several instances of his displaying in abundance that very quality he so admired in the butler of his story.
豊富に、大量に

・The silence seemed to go on interminably, before either Mr Smith or Mr Jones found it in him to mutter: 'I suppose we were talking a little out of turn there.  It won't happen again.'
軽率に、無分別に、前後の見境もなく、（順序無しに）

・Mr Silvers, however, had remembered the significance the visit would have for my father, and had thus called him in to offer him the option of taking several days' leave for the duration of the General's stay.
～が続く間中

・My father thus replied to the effect that while he was most grateful that his feelings had been taken into account, Mr Silvers could be assured that service would be provided to the usual standards.
take ～ into account : ～を考慮に入れる

・If one considers the difference between my father at such moments and a figure such as Mr Jack Neighbours even with the best of his technical flourishes, I believe one may begin to distinguish what it is that separates a 'great' butler from a merely competent one.
with flourish : 華々しく、仰々しく

・The great butlers are great by virtue of their ability to inhabit their professional role and inhabit it to the utmost; they will not be shaken out by external events, however surprising, alarming or vexing.
～によって、～の力で

・Indeed, on the occasion one is fortunate enough to meet a great butler, far from experiencing any special urge to demand a 'test', one is at a loss to imagine any situation which could ever dislodge a professionalism borne with such authority.
困って、途方に暮れて

・'Beyond that there's nothing much you can say.'
= There's nothing much beyond that you can say.(?)
(cf. I know nothing beyond what I told you. あなたに話したこと意外は何も知らない（辞書より引用））

・Incidentally, I should before now have explained myself as regards my referring to 'Miss Kenton'.
～に関しては、～について言えば

・I will have to point out how different things are now ― that the days of working with a grand staff at one's beck and call will probably never return within our lifetime.
at one's [or someon's] beck and call : 人のいいなりになって、人の手足となって働いて

・Indeed, all in all, I cannot see why the option of her returning to Darlington Hall and seeing out her working years there should not offer a very genuine consolation to a life that has come to be so dominated by a sense of waste.
結局のところ、大体、概して

・Miss Kenton and my father had arrived at the house at more or less the same time ― that is to say, the spring of 1922 ― as a consequence of my losing at one stroke the previous housekeeper and under-butler.
一挙に、（一撃で）

・'If you are referring to him to a third party, then you may wish to call him "Mr Stevens senior" to distinguish him from myself.'
第三者

・'But a hundred things should have indicated to you that my father is a figure of unusual distinction from whom you may learn a wealth of things were you prepared to be more observant.'
a wealth of ～ : たくさんの～
"were you prepared to ～" = "if you were prepared to ～"

・'I am most indebted to you for your advice, Mr Stevens.'
be indebted to ～ for ... : ...は～のおかげです

・This seemed to take the wind out of Miss Kenton's sails somewhat.
先手を打って～を出し抜く、～の出鼻をくじく、～の自信をうち砕く

・A drawback to this plan was the weather ― that is to say, several large puddles and patched of mud were in evidence ― and the fact that one would need to return to the billiard room again at some point to bolt the french windows from the inside.
in evidence : 目立って、ハッキリ見えて、証拠として
at some point : ある時点で、いつか、ある時期に

・'These errors may be trivial in themselves, Mr Stevens, but you must yourself realize their significance.'
それ自体では、本質的に、本来　（= in itself)

・It was invariably embarrassment at what he was about to impart which made Lord Darlington adopt such an approach, and even once the study door was closed behind us, he would often stand by the window and make a show of consulting the encyclopedia throughout our conversation.
～のフリをする、（～を誇示する、～をさらし者にする）

・Whatever may be said about his lordship these days ― and the great majority of it is, as I say, utter nonsense ― I can declare that he was a truly good man at heart, a gentle man through and through, and one I am today proud to have given my best years of service to.
初めから終わりまで、徹頭徹尾、（徹底的に）

　　　　　　　　　　- from The Remains of the Day (UK) -

Do you know the man who is a British tenor who in 2007 became the winner of the UK talent search show called Britain's Got Talent, the TV audition show, making a number of audiences so touched as to be in tears?
I saw Ogura was commenting about him in his Tv program, Tokudane!, the other day.
It's unbelievable all the more for his amazing voice that he had been a mobile phone salesman until he won the audition, and that he couldn't have had confidence in himself because of his past experience of having being bullied!
If you're interested in him, please check this out!  (^^)

どうして読書は全く進んでいないのに、メモばかり増えていくの？

それはさておき、Paul Potts ってご存じですか？
小倉さんがテレビでコメントしていたのを見ましたが、先日、ネット上で彼が話題になるキッカケになったオーディション番組の動画を見つけちゃいました♪
最初の動画がその番組。
スケートの荒川静香さんがオリンピックで金メダルを獲得した際に使われたことで有名な『トゥーランドット（Turandot）』を歌っています。
下の方は上の番組で有名になった後のもので、Sarah Brightman（サラ・ブライトマン）の『Time To Say Goodbye』を。
Sarah Brightman って、『オペラ座の怪人』の初代 Christine で、『オペラ座の怪人』や『キャッツ』の生みの親 Andrew Lloyd Webber の元・妻。
実は、『キャッツ』も『オペラ座の怪人』もDVD持ってます。σ(o^_^o)
Sarah Brightman のCDも・・・♪　(〃⌒ー⌒〃)ゞ
オペラの良さなんてこれっぽっちもわかりませんし、興味もないのですが、そういう知識とか理屈を越えたところで人を感動させることのできる人がいるんですね～。
Paul Potts さんも、実際にこれだけの人を感動させられるんだから、間違いなくその一人のようです。
Absolutely fantastic!!　=＾-＾=

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ポップアップ・カード♪

Any news about Southern All Stars' 30th anniversary event or new single CD haven't come out yet!
All I was able to confirm is that Keisuke Kuwata was recording a song or two, or three(?), according to what he said on his previous radio program.
There is a fact that makes me feel worried about the possibility of no special events to come.
It's that Hiroshi Matsuda and Kazuyuki Sekiguchi, the drummer and the bassist of the band, are still continuing their solo work, though I don't care at all about Takashi Omori, the former guitarist, having announced on his blog and a porno magazine his will to make a comeback as a member of the band.
An announcement of his ambition or dream, whatsoever, for the comeback on a porno magazine without showing sign of remorse...
So absurd that I'd like to tell him in person not to make me laugh, if possible.
Anyway, another fact that Keisuke Kuwata doesn't always put what he said, yes, he certainly said on TV last year they would show their appreciation for the fans, into action makes me more worried.

By the way, though Mother's day is coming soon, have you already decided what you're going to present?
If you'd like to make a pop-up card for your mother and have confidence in your hand dexterity, please check this site out.
When you'd like to learn from the basics, this site may help you.
Needless to say, no sooner did I browse the site than I gave up making such a complicated card. (^^;

前々回の日記にもちょっとだけ書きましたが、ポップアップカード作りにチャレンジしました♪

・・・え～、ネットで作り方を書いたサイトを見つけた時点で断念しましたが・・・。~(=^‥^A
『こんな複雑なもの、私に作れるわけがないだろ！』と、ほとんど逆ギレ状態でしたが、その後、ネットでポップアップカード作りの基本を書いてあるサイトを見てみると、案外簡単かもしれないという気になってきました。
母の日に間に合わせる自信はないので、暇を見つけて練習して、クリスマス頃までにまともなカードを作れるようになる！
なんて妄想に耽ってみる今日この頃。
もし興味があれば、母の日に手作りポップアップカードなんていかがですか？
まずこちらで基本を確認。　http://www15.ocn.ne.jp/~r-piece/try/top/try.html
そしてこちらでステップアップ♪　http://dyn.c-ij.com/japan/greetings/home.page?lang=jp
ちなみに、プレゼント本体はゲランの美容液と口紅にしました。
そしてチャッカリ自分用にも美容液をゲットする私。(^m^*)

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Mid-Summer Blossoms

Do you favor the songs of Southern All Stars or of Keisuke Kuwata?
Do you really value their songs more than any other artists'?
If so, maybe you should try to listening to All of Mid-Summer Blossoms, which feture their popular songs covered by such foreign artists as Philip Bailey, Bill Champlin and Leon Russell. 
Those albums, to tell the truth, had been discontinued for a long time until they were re-released bundled in 2005.
I bought them for several hundred yen per CD before that, having a lot of trouble with finding them, running from store to store.
I think they are worth buying, and that the first album of it is especially great; however I must say that whether you like them or not depends on individual taste.　(^^;

An interesting thing is the fact that as you listen to them from the first to the third, the songs are getting more and more arranged.
So it may be difficult for you to say which song is which when you listen to the third album.
And a disappointing, or sad, ... whatsoever, thing to me is that the original English lyrics Keisuke Kuwata wrote are also changed.
Um, is this because there are mistakes in the original?
Let's try to compare the original lyrics to changed one.

The original lyrics extracted from Just A Little Bit:

No other love will do
No-one like you
For you're the one who makes my life complete
My mind keeps telling me what a fool I had to be
Just a little bit for you
Just a little bit to me

And the changed one:

No other love will do
No one's like you
It's plain to see you make my life complete
Sometimes good love can fool you
There's always more to learn
Just a little bit for you
Just a little bit for me

I wonder if I should say this is interesting...

何故に春に『Mid-Summer Blossoms』？　というツッコミはさておき、昨日、Mid-Summer Blossom シリーズのアルバムを久しぶりにCDラックから取り出してみました。
私が買ったのは、このシリーズが製造中止になっていて、おまけにまだネットオークションもさして広まっていない時期だったので、中古CD店を半泣きになりながら駆け回らざるをえませんでしたが、まさかその数年後に再リリースされるとは。
まぁ、３枚合わせても1000円以下だったはずなので、良しとしましょうか。

で、肝心のアルバムの出来はどうかというと、人によって相当好みが別れるかと思われます。
許せないのは『スキップビート』というソロの曲。
この曲は "skip beat, skip beat, skip beat, skip beat" と連呼するのが 『スケベー、スケベー・・・』と聞こえてこそ意味があるのに、完璧に綺麗な発音で "skip beat, skip beat,..." と歌われてしまった日には・・・。~(=^‥^A
元々英語で書かれている歌詞も変更されてしまっている点については、あまり深く考えないようにしようっと。

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今日のメモ-少ないわ-

☆　今日のメモ　☆

・'Bode...' said Ron.  'Bode.  It rings a bell...'
ピンとくる、思い出させる、共感を呼び起こす

・Frowning, he made to take the letter from the owl, but before he could so, three, four, five more owls had fluttered down beside it and were jockeying for position, treading in the butter and knocking over the salt as each one attempted to give him their letter first.
上手く立ち回って有利な立場に立とうとする、有利な位置を取ろうとする

・'This one's from a bloke who thinks you're off your rocker,' said Ron, glancing down his letter.
気がふれて

　　　　　　　　　　- from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix -

My condition is still not so good. :'(
I spent almost a whole day sleeping and moaning in my bed yesterday again, and neither read an article on this week's issue of the Mainichi Weekly nor even took out it from the mailbox.
I found, however, it featuring Canada and its music column written about Avril Lavigne's song Hot after getting it out this morning.
Yes!  I love Avril Lavigne!
I already know the song's lyrics and its meaning, though...  :-/
Just scanning it, I got to feel like eating some pancakes with a generous amount of maple syrup.  :D

余談。
Avril の『Hot』は大好きなんだけど、あの日本語バージョンはいただけない・・と、密かに思っています。　
『Girlfriend』の日本語バージョンもひどいけど、「Hot」よりはマシかな？
・・・こんなこと書くと、「日本人が歌う英語ほど酷くはない！」と言われそうな気もしますが・・・。
いや、日本人としてそこは断固として主張すべきかしらん？

そういえば、Mixiの “English Only” コミュで、「オーストラリアの発音なんて英語じゃない」という意味の発言をした日本人に、「オーストラリア人の発音は問題なく聞き取れる！　日本人の発音ほど酷い発音にはお目にかかったことがない」という感じの趣旨で、オーストラリアは勿論、世界各国の人達から一斉に罵倒された人を見たことがあります。
私はといえば、圧倒されて、口をポカンと開けてみてるだけ・・・。
なまじ同じ日本人だから、巻き添え食らって傷ついたりもしちゃったりなんかして。
TOEICでオージー英語に躓いた人だったのかな？
言われて当然かもしれないけど、いや～・・・、あれは凄かった。　

それにしても、これだけメモるものがないとは・・・。
ホントに何もしなかったのね、私・・・。

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The Rose

I couldn't learn English at all for this last two days because of my headache and slight fever of 37.5C.
Cherry blossoms starting to bloom, however, cheered me up so wonderfully when I drove along the nearby row of cherry blossom trees with my SO, that I feel like I can do it today!
Yes, I'll do it!

By the way, do you know the movie titled The Rose, which is a 1979 musical-drama film and tells the story of a self-destructive 1960s rock star, Janis Joplin, who is said to have died from heroin overdose in 1970?
It's a little bit, maybe undoubtedly, old-fashioned, but makes me in tears every time I watch it. (I have a DVD of it.)
The more Rose the heroine of the same name is loved by her enormous numbers of fans, the more badly she suffers from loneliness and becomes addicted to drugs.
Selfish, hysterical and so foolish as to drown herself in alcohol and drugs though she is, nevertheless her performance is amazing enough to give me goose bumps, and she finally dies from heroin O.D. on her stage after singing Stay With Me...
Please never misunderstand.
Bette Midler, who played the role of Rose in the film, appeals in her song, The Rose, to us not to run away from our problems, to give and to live, because spring definitely will come.
The song is also really great.

This is the scene of Rose singing Stay With Me on her last stage.

　　　
　　　
And this is a video of Bette Midler singing The Rose on her own stage.

Please listen to it, if you'd like. (^^)

「The Rose」はほとんどの人が知ってるだろうと思っていたら、そうでもないのかしら？
ヘロインのO.D.（overdoes:薬物の過剰摂取）が原因で死んだ伝説的スターJanis Joplinをモデルして作られた映画で、未だ来日していない最後の大物と言われるBette Midler（和田アキ子さんがファンですよね♪）が主役Roseを演じ、主題歌「The Rose」（これは一度聞けば誰でもわかる！・・・はず）を歌っています。
何せ昔の映画なので、見るたびに映像の古さに戸惑ってしまいますが、ストーリーも、そして何よりライブシーンが素晴らしくって、音楽DVDとして我が家のラックに並んでおります。
ワガママで、ヒステリックで、仕事に追われ、事ある毎に酒に、男に、そしてドラッグに溺れ、最後はステージ上で亡くなるという愚かな女性ではありますが（Janis Joplinは実際にはホテルの一室で死亡）、悲しいほどにステージの上では格好いいんです。
どれだけファンに愛されても、音楽の才能を認められても、決して埋められなかった彼女の孤独を思うと切なくなりますが、決して彼女の『生き方』までもが格好いいと思わないでくださいね。
（そんな人いないとは思いますが、最近、私の常識が崩壊しそうになる出来事があったので・・・　(^^; ）
Bette Midlerはこの曲の主題歌の中で、「どんなに辛くても逃げてはいけない。本当の意味で生きようとしなさい。春は必ず訪れるのだから」と歌っています。
死の間際、一人では歩くこともできなかったRoseが、何度も鳥肌が立つほどの迫力で『Stay With Me』をステージ上で歌った後、家族にも等しいと言った大勢のファンを目の前にして "Where are you going? Where's everybody going? （どこに行くの？ どうしてみんな行ってしまうの？）"と呟かなきゃいけないなんて悲しすぎる。
あ。　また泣きそう。　

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情けない・・・

What do you think Takashi Omori , who, according to what Keisuke Kuwata said on his radio program and what he reportedly said himself, has decided to leave Southern All Stars of his own free will and accord, and who's been sentenced to two years and six months imprisonment with four years suspension of sentence for illegal drugs possession and use, wrote in his blog that he would like to play for his fans in the Southern All Stars' 30th anniversary live supposed to be held this year because there was no reason his appearance in the event was not to be allowed, despite the fact he IS still on probation?
"There is no reason"?
How could he write such a thing on the Net?
It's outrageous!  I can't believe what he wrote! 
I doubt he has enough sense to understand the situation he's in now.

He possessed and used not only marijuana but large amounts of stimulant drug when he was arrested.
I know some people say there is nothing wrong with smoking marijuana because it's free of side-effect and nonaddictive, and I can't deny it's safe to human health beause of my lack of my knowledge about it, but where does the money that's paid for it come from and go, and what is the money used for?
At least in today's Japan, where these drugs are prohibited by law, it's obviously unlikely the money is used for the sake of the public welfare.

Though I also know there are such questions as "If those people who were arrested, and finished their sentences or are on probation, have to be blamed for their past mistakes, how can they work?" I must say that's just the punishment the person must receive in the real community.
The important thing is I think to continue their struggles to retrieve their own social lives, helped by their company and supporters, isn't it?

Anyway, the most shocking thing to me is the fact that there are those who can shamelessly write in on the Net as if they show off their criminal acts and egg people on to try it.
Hopeless idiots, they are.

寝坊はするは、朝一で怒りを通り越して呆れるしかないような発言の数々を目にするはでしばらく日記をサボってしまいました。~(=^‥^A
所詮、人の考えていることなどわかるわけないので、推測だけで批判するのもいけないのかもしれませんが、某巨大掲示板ならともかく、ネット上で恥ずかしげもなく薬物を容認するかのような発言をする人がいたことには本当に驚いた。
覚醒剤はもちろん、大麻などに支払われたお金はどこに行って、何のために使われているのか考えもしないんでしょうか。
周囲の人間や制度のせいにして自分を正当化することしかできないなんて情けない。

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誰のため？

I heard that Keisuke Kuwata's Complete Package, which will consist of a DVD of his live performed from Dec. 31, 2007 to Jan. 1st, 2008 at Yokohama Arena and a CD including almost all of his songs and a Yuko Hara's song released in 2007 and a new song he wrote for this, is to be released on March 12.
Personally, I think it's really great news because I couldn't record the satellite TV program of his live due to not being a satellite TV subscriber, but how about those who have bought all his singles and subscribed to it to watch his live?
Not that I underestimate the effort and the difficulty in creating a new song, but don't you think the price of 5,500 yen is too high for listening to only one new song?
Though I know some people say it's wrong to complain about it because you also have the right not to buy what can't satisfy you, I can't help thinking that's not the point.
Thinking of the CD as a sort of bonus might be better, and I think it is, but if it was something most of his fans haven't gotten yet, nobody wouldn't complain like that.

3/12発売の桑田佳祐・コンプリート・パッケージなる物は、某衛星放送にて既に放送された年越しライブのDVDに、去年発売された全シングルとそのカップリング１曲を除くほぼ全曲に、原由子さんのソロシングル（カップリング）１曲、おまけに新曲１曲を含むCDを付けて5,500円也。
この内容で『どうだ、安いだろう！』と胸を張られても、全シングルを買い、桑田さんのライブを見る為に衛星放送に加入したファンは文句の１つも言いたくなって当然でしょう。
新曲が入っていなければ、心おきなく『買わない自由』を選ぶこともできたでしょうが、なまじファンであるが故に、新曲１曲の為に5,500円を払うハメになろうとは、これ蛸に。
蟹に？
もとい、これ如何に。
決して、１曲を書き上げる為に要する努力を過小評価しているわけではありません。
この資本主義社会で当たり前と言えば当たり前なのですが、制作側の『売らんかな主義』が、（恐らくは無理矢理着せられていたのだろう）某アイドルグループのシースルーの衣装よりも見え見えなのが少し恥ずかしいだけです。
かくいう私は衛星放送未加入者。
桑田さんを始め、コンプリート・パッケージの制作に携わられる皆様に、深く、深く、心から御礼申し上げ、禿げ散らかしたオヤジの頭皮よりも見え見えに喜び勇んで、予約させていただきます?

☆今日のメモ☆

・Harder to avoid was Colin Creevey, who seemed to have memorized Harry's schedule.

・They said good-bye to Hagrid and walked back up to the castle, Ron hiccoughing occasionally, but only bringing up two very small slugs.

・Saturday afternoon seemed to melt away, and in what seemed like no time, it was five minutes to eight.

・Nor could Harry and Ron get much response from her when they asked what she was up to, and not until the following Wednesday did they find out.

・Just because a wizard doesn't use Dark Magic doesn't mean he can't, Miss Pennyfeather," snapped Professor Binns.

・Madam Hooch, the Qudditch teacher, asked Flint and Wood to shake hands, which they did, giving each other threatening stares and gripping rather harder than was necessary.
from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

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YouTube

After browsing a community in mixi which is one of groups Keisuke Kuwata fans get together and exchange his information through, I noticed one thing.
I missed the TV program: The Japanese Best Artists chosen by 130 million peole, yesterday despite having known in advance he was supposed to appear on it!
Half giving up, I checked YouTube and found the very part of the program on which he'd performed already uploaded.
Thank you for the posting, though I don't know who and where you are, and must admit you've violated copyright.
Well, I think it'll be perhaps deleted before long.  Maybe.

Also I read Never Let Me Go up to page 125.
The story is written about a girl's reminiscences of her seemingly ordinary but extremely odd school life.
Though there were some so shocking passages in it that I couldn't understand the true meanings of them immediately, or maybe still can't, she and her company seem to me to take them for granted, not to mention their not showing any signs of their astonishment at them.
They really seem to me normal and ordinary girls and boys, sensitive but sometimes indifferent, considerate of others but sometimes cruel to someone who acted against their unspoken rules, cherish their treasures (those are generally worthless to anyone else), keep secrets in their hearts...
So I can't help feeling odd all the more for such impressions.
I haven't finished reading even a half of it yet and can't even imagine where the story is heading.

さすが悪評高いYouTube。
（YouTube がというより、投稿している人が・・・と書くべきか・・・？）
昨日見逃した番組も、朝にはまさに私が見たかった部分がちゃっかりアップロードされてました。m(__)m
まぁ、そのうち消されるかな。
TV番組、特に有料放送番組は著作権に（当然ですが）うるさいから。
YouTubeで見てもらっても、視聴率もあがらなければ、料金も入ってこないもんね。
YouTubeのおかげで海外のニュース番組で取り上げてもらった番組もあるとか、ないとかという話もたまに耳にしますが、損失と利益と、どちらが顕著かは言うまでもなさそうですね。
とりあえず、今回はラッキーしたということで。 （おい！）
でも、そこまで言うほどの内容でもなかったような気がしないでもない。~(=^‥^A

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Never Let Me Go etc...

I received the package which contained Keisuke Kuwata's new single CD, a copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and a copy of Never Let Me Go from Amazon this Wednesday evening.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, as you might know, is originally described in England as Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
Yes, I bought a US version of it because it's much cheaper than UK version, and what is more, because I know there's not much difference between US version and UK.
Flicking through several pages of it, I saw the words, The Boy Who Lived, which is sometimes seen in the final volume of the Harry Potter series, written as the title of the first chapter, and felt like my heart beat fast in a strange way.
Though I'd like to see little Harry for the first time in years, I'm going to read Never Let Me Go written by Kazuo Ishiguro, who was born in Japan in 1954, settled in England in 1960 when he was 5 and acquired English nationality in 1983.
He is introduced on the book as follows:

Kazuo Ishiguro is the author of five previous novels, including The Remains of the Day, which won the Booker Prize and became an international bestseller.  His work has been translated into twenty-eight languages.  In 1995 he received an Order of the British Empire for sevice to literature, and in 1998 was named a Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government.  He lives in London with his wife and daughter.

I read 33 pages out of 288, and I couldn't help feeling uneasy, especially when reading the first few pages, as if some parts of it hadn't made sense at all or I'd misread something important despite his writing being not very difficult to understand, so I had to reread it a few times.
Now I can read it with no problem, but yet I sometimes feel the same way - something is missing, something important or essential.
Anyway, I'm enjoying Kazuo Ishiguro's mysterious world heartily.

Oh, one more thing.
I listened to Keisuke Kuwata's new single CD including three songs, Darling, Gendai Tokyo Kitan (a strange story of today's Tokyo) and The Common Blues, and I love Gendai Tokyo Kitan above all!!
When listening to it for the first time without any preliminary information about it, tears came before I could stop them, though not when having listened to his previous song, Kaze no Uta wo Kikasete (let me hear the songs of winds), which I think is generally more touching.
I don't know why, but no doubt it's a really great song.
Also I watched him singing under the cold night sky on FNS Music Festival on Wednesday.
He was so cool as usual, and his songs sounded better than usual to me.
A very happy night it was.  (^^)

私が買った 『Never Let Me Go』 は実はこちら。
オリジナルはイギリスですが、これはたぶんアメリカ版で、『Reprint版』 とあるので、廉価版か何かじゃないかと思われます。（中身は特に違いはないんじゃないかな・・・？ "Penguin Readers" のような手直しは入ってないと思います。多分）
これが一番お安いんですが、私が買ったあとに売れ切れていました。
作者は "Kazuo Ishiguro"で、一見、日本の作品の翻訳版かと思ってしまいますが、日本生まれ・イギリス育ちで、現在はイギリス国籍も取得し、ブッカー賞というイギリスで最も有名な文学賞も受賞された方のようです。
とりあえず少しばかり読んでみての感想は・・・・、『そうか。これが綺麗な文章なのかぁ♪』 って感じ。 ~(=^‥^A
それと、最初の５～６ページは、ほとんど意味不明なまま進みました。
難しい単語は全く出てこないし、ちゃんと読めているはずなのに、意味不明というか筋が通ってないような感じがして、何度も読み返したり、分かっているはずの単語も辞書で調べてみたりして。
その後は、まず問題なく読めます。　が！　やっぱり何かおかしい・・・。
このもどかしさ、主人公のKathy自身も感じているらしく、次のように述べてます。

And Tommy's account of his talk with Miss Lucy had reminded me of something, perhaps a whole series of things, little incidents from the past to do with Miss Lucy that had puzzled me at the time.

あと、

Now I know my being a carer so long isn't necessarily because they think I'm fantastic at what I do.

...And I can think of one carer at least who went on for all of fourteen years despite being a complete waste of space.

のような文章が結構目に付きます。
分詞構文でいいのかしら？　また違う文法なのかな？
私も 『会話では滅多に使わない文法だろうな～』 と思いながら、よく分からずに使っていますが、それは他にどう書けばいいか分からないからで、彼の文章は（プロだから当たり前だけど）初心者の私が読んでも洗練されている感じがします。
日本語すらまともに操れない私にとっては羨ましいかぎり。
あっちこっちの 『お薦めの洋書』 のようなコーナーで絶賛されているこの本、　『わたしを離さないで』 という題で日本語にも訳されていて、これもまた高く評価されているようです。
それにしても、"despite being a complete waste of space" ってキツイなぁ～。 ~(=^‥^A

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Darling and her ample bosom

Amid the bustle of people rushing around preparing for Christmas and the end of the year, and some of my friends being beside themselves with anticipation for Keisuke Kuwata's solo tour, I'm enjoying peaceful days while chatting with my SO and reading the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows as usual, not to mention feeding Ruu the budgerigar on my hand.
Especially, spending time with him, sitting next to each other with his arm around my shoulder, feeling his warmth, listening to our favorite songs, is one of the most effective and essential remedies for removing my stresses of daily life.  (*^^*)

Speaking of our favorite songs, two of us love Keisuke Kuwata above all other artists, so each of us has already ordered his new single CD, Darling, scheduled to be released on December 5, and we had a nice time watching the recorded TV program in which he'd sung the song on November 11 and the promotional video on the Net this weekend.
The full-length music video of his new song is being put on his official site for a limited time only, and you can enjoy it, of course, free of charge.
It makes me smile (or maybe I should say "laugh") at least twice every time I watch it.
It's full of closeups of a woman's ample bosom and cleavage, and I can't help thinking it's just like him. (^^;
Besides, "once more, please" he says at the almost end of it is, in a sense, excellent.
If you'd like, please click here and check it out, though I'm afraid I can't tell you until when it's available.

Well, I read the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows up to page 558 by now.
What can they do, or are they going to do, with no plan in their minds now that the thing they got with enormous efforts has been taken away?
Never give up, Harry!!
And I'll also never give up reading through it. Maybe.... (^^;

↑で書いた "being beside themselves"、ハリー・ポッター・シリーズで嫌というほどお目にかかったフレーズです。
”(be) beside oneself" で、（極度の喜怒哀楽で）我を忘れたり、取り乱したり、浮かれまくっている状態のことなんだとか。
直訳したら 「自分自身の横にいる」ですよ。
今、私の周りには自分の横に立っちゃってる人が多くって、ちょっと取り残されたような寂しさを感じつつ、それなりに平和で穏やかな毎日を過ごしてます。
それって幸せってことよね・・・♪　=＾-＾=

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幸せのドア 想い出の窓

I got up with a headache yesterday morning, feeling a dull pain in my stomach too.
Opening the window to let fresh air in, I felt as if the cold morning air I breathed pierced my brain like a needle.
There's no doubt I had a hangover.
That's because my SO came over with a bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau in his hand at the previous night, and because we finished it off in one night.
To be honest, I can't really taste the difference between wines, and I much prefer beer to wine.
That's okay.
We just want to enjoy it as one of annual events for us two, if it's possible, however, without suffering from a hangover.  (^^;
As the result of having spent a happy time with him (and of my terrible hangover), I couldn't read both of the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and this week's issue of the Mainichi Weekly very much.
I'm now reading the nineteenth chapter of it (page 377), it means I read only about 38 pages in last two days.
Besides, I browsed only less than half of the Mainichi Weekly, about seven pages.
I, however, found a nice phrase on the article written by Diane Kichijitsu, an English Rakugo storyteller.
That's this:

Through my own personal experience I've realized how valuable it is to keep the windows and doors to opportunity wide open and, not to be afraind of trying something new.

It reminded me of a part of the lyrics of "ebb tide", a song included in the album "KILLER STREET" of Southern All Stars.
I think it's too difficult for me to translate it into English, but I'll try.

I'm going out of here, leaving the doors to happiness and the windows to our memories unlocked to protect you with my greater love than anyone else can give you.

Hmm...., it's probably beyond my English writing ability.  (--;

どうしよ。　読書が全然進まないわ。
味も分からないのにボジョレー飲んで嬉しいか？　（嬉しいんだ、これが）
せめて二日酔いしない程度にしておくべきだったわ。 ＼(__ )
でも大変楽しゅうございました♪　=＾-＾=

文中で引用した "... keep the windows and doors to opportunity wide open and, not..." 、 "... open, and not..." の間違いじゃないの？
違うのかな？　全く自信がないわ・・・。
で、かな～り強引に訳してみた 『ひき潮～Ebb Tide～』 の歌詞部分、本来は

誰にも負けない愛情で　あなたを守るために
幸せのドアも　想い出の窓も　
鍵をかけずに出てゆくよ

です。
こんなこと言われてみたい気もするけど、結局出て行かれちゃうのよね。　~(=^‥^A

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* thick skull *

I spent almost two days in the bed with reading the English materials very little.
I only read the three articles in the Mainichi Weekly, chatted with my SO and watched the recorded program featuring Keisuke Kuwata's live show having been played this summer which I had never watched.
And there's only one unacceptable thing as to the program.
It's a silly short movie cut in between each song!
Besides, playing three different absurd roles in it, he is showing his poor ability as an actor!!  (T-T)
Dear NHK..., please don't accept any of his foolhardy demands, and NEVER let him do anything but his musical activities!!!

Though I think I got ample rest, my brain is still not working well enough to write this diary.
I feel as if something like cotton penetrate my thick skull.

今年の夏に録画こそしたものの、一度も見ることなく放置してきた桑田さん出演番組のうち、NHKで放送されたミニライブ映像を見ました。
・・・演奏の音が小さいじゃないか。ソロライブは演奏が魅力なのに・・。
・・・・よりによって 『Merry X'mas In Summer』 の曲中に下ネタを挟まないで・・・ (T-T)
・・・・・なんで１曲ごとに安っぽくもくだらないショートムービーが割り込んでくるの・・・
・・・・・・しかもなんでショートムービーの中で桑田佳祐が下手な笑えないクソ芝居を披露してるのぉぉおお！！　(/_<。)ﾋﾞｪｪﾝ！
周囲の人間が止めるべきだろ。
ＮＨＫも今度からは必ず断るように。
『そっかぁ。天は二物を与えずってこのことかぁ・・・』 と、最近とみに涙もろくなった目頭を押さえながら感慨にふけった午後でした。
（でも３つの役のうち、流しのオッチャンの役が一番似合ってたのはサスガ♪　久しぶりに『茅ヶ崎は今日も黄色い』が聴きたくなりました）

あ。　"I feel as if something like cotton penetrate my thick skull." って、ハリ・ポタの３巻でSnapeがNevilleに言ったセリフのパクリです。

"Tell me, boy, does anything penetrate that thick skull of yours?"

"thick skull" って随分な言い方だわ。　~(=^‥^A
Snape先生らしい言い方だと思ってたら、"thick skull" という言い回しは普通にあるみたいですね。
それと、"something like cotton" という言葉に対して "penetrate" を使っていいものかどうかについても判断いたしかねます。m(__)m

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Darling

I'm in the seventh heaven because I heard the news that my dearest Keisuke Kuwata will release his new single, Darling, on December 5th.
Releases of three singles in a year!  Good job!!
By the way, how's his new album going?
He surely doesn't intend to produce it this time as everyone else is saying, does he?
If so, it's nothing but a disappointment to me because I was really looking forward to the release of his first solo album in five years.
Well, I can't complain about it.
All I can do now is to be waiting for the release date of his new single to come.

I took out a copy of the Mainichi Weekly from the post this morning which I guess must have arrived yesterday because it's kind of wet.
Its astrology column says I might get into a sort of restless mood this week.
When I'm told like that, I tend to get ready to do as I was told.
This kind of thing happens sometimes around you too, doesn't it?  (^^;

Now, I finished reading the chapter 21 of the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince yesterday, and I'm going to read about half of this week's issue of the Mainichi Weekly today.
Maybe....  (^^;

く・・・・・・・、　　首が痛い。　(T-T)
いや～～な予感がするので、今日は気楽に読める毎日ウィークリー中心に読書にいそしむつもりです。
ハリーポッターの方もそれなりに読み進めてますが、登場人物の数の多さに混乱することしばし。
最終巻では200人以上登場するんだっけ？
単なる通りすがりだと思っていた人物が、あとでそれなりに意味を持って再登場（？）することもあるので、混乱はひとしお。
何度も読み直している人が多いのも納得。

それにしても、久しぶりにソロアルバムが聴けるだろうと思っていたのに、発売しないのかしら？
シングル３枚出すから辛抱しろってこと？
来年もソロ活動・・・・ってことはないわよね、きっと。　(/_<。)ﾋﾞｪｪﾝ

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月月に月見る月は・・

Did you see the moon of the night before last, the harvest moon Princess Kaguya is said to have gone back to?
Unfortunately, I didn't.
Anyone to come for someone no longer came down from the moon to the earth, but I can feel it certainly brought onset of a full-fledged autumn to us.
The air of morning has been utterly changed, from the one of lingering heat of summer to the autumn one with no nasty humidity.
It makes my head of being terribly short of sleep a little clearer.
Yes, I stayed up late watching the Keisuke Kuwata's solo live DVD again.
I really love his solo live performances more than Southern All Stars' ones.
The music performances of members in his solo activities, who usually work as session players, are so cool.
I'd been in several bands as a Keyboardist in my high school and undergraduate days, so I'm still fascinated by skillful performances, especially keybordists' ones.
I know I should learn English harder when I have time to do such things, but I think anyone needs some sort of diversion sometimes.
Don't you think so?  (^^;

My wound on the left arm is still forming a large scab and started to itch.
By the way, do you know Scabbers, the name of Ron's mouse in the Harry Potter series, is said to come from "scab"?
If you want, look up the meanings of it in a dictionary.
You might find something indicating his role in the series.

『中秋の名月』 が "the harvest moon" となることに若干の抵抗を覚えるのは私だけ？
ハリ・ポタにも "lunacy （狂気・精神錯乱）" "lunatic （狂人・精神錯乱者）" 等々、『月』にまつわる表現がいくつか出てきましたが、Lupin先生が初登場する巻だから、わざわざこの単語を選んだってってわけでもないのかな？ どうなんでしょ？
珍しい単語でもないから気にしすぎかもしれないけど、J. K. Rowling という人はそこまで考えていそうな気もします。
スキャバーズの名前の由来になったと言われている "scab" にも 『スト破り』 という意味があって、『仲間を裏切って権力におもねる人』 のイメージがあるそうです。
"Diagon alley（ダイアゴン横町）" も "diagonally（対角線上に）" からきているとか。
マグルの世界と魔法界をつなぐ横町だからピッタリの名前ですよね。 =＾-＾=

ところで、単に自転車に乗っている時に壁にぶつかってできた傷の場合、"wound" は使えないんでしょうか？
私の中では 『傷』＝"wound" という図式があったんですが、改めて調べてみると、"an injury to your body that is made by a weapon such as a knife or a bullet" という意味だと書いてたんですよね。
壁はやっぱり武器じゃありませんよね～・・・。
で、"injury" はどうだろうと調べると、"a wound or damage to part of your body caused by an accident or attack"。
アクシデントといえばアクシデントなんだけど、何か大袈裟な気が・・・。
かといって、 "damage （physical harm that is done to something or to a part of someone's body, so that it is broken or injured）" も何となく違う気がする。
というか、『違う気がする』 という単語を用いて説明されている時点で訳がわからなくなる。
（"injury" を説明するのに "wound" や "damage" が使われてたり、"damage" の説明文の中に"injury" があったり！）
やっぱり "scratch" に修正するべきかな～？
こんなこと考えてると、寝不足の頭がショートして lunacy な世界に行っちゃいそう。
とりあえず、DVD鑑賞への lunatic な欲望をなんとかしないと・・・。 orz

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現実逃避と人体再生（？）

I stayed up watching one of the Southern All Stars' DVDs till much later than usual yesterday, without learning English at all.
Naturally, even at this moment when I'm writing this diary, I have trouble keeping my eyes open, and my brain's not working.
Although I think I have no time to do such a thing, I sometimes, about once every few years, get a strong urge to watch Keisuke Kuwata's live DVDs.
It takes me an incredibly long time to do it, because I have 13 DVDs related to him.
I'd very much like to watch at least another one DVD, Keisuke Kuwata's live DVD released in 2003.
I guess it must be a sort of addiction.  (--;

By the way, my scratches on my left arm I suffered on my way to grocery shopping on September 15 are gradually forming scabs.
Center part of them is still far from recovery, but surrounding part completely scabbed and I already peeled almost all of them off enjoying my first experience in many years. (^m^*)
My new(?) skins having come out from under the scabs I peeled off are all pale pink!
I'm impressed in a strange way with my cells' efforts for recovery being done without giving up because of my age.

眠い。
こうなるとわかっていて、どうして何度も見たDVDが見たくなるのか自分でもわかりません。
でも、もう一本！ あと一本だけ見ていいかしら？
さっさと見てしまった方が、勉強に集中できるような気もするし・・・　というのは、いつもの現実逃避の言い訳？ ~(=^‥^A

自転車で壁に激突してできた傷も、周囲のかすり傷はほとんど全部かさぶたになり、久しぶりのかさぶた剥きを楽しみました。
中心部が完全に治るのはまだ時間がかかりそうですが、今から楽しみです。（？）
すっかりボケたかと思っていた私の細胞も、やる時はやるんですね。（？？）
『私もやらんかい』 って感じ。

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買いまくり

I went shopping yesterday, which was an extremely hot and humid day.
It completely wore me out, and I'm still recovering from it.
Today, however, I'm supposed to receive two parcels from Amazon and an other internet store.
Yes! Today is the release date of Keisuke Kuwata's new single: "Kaze no Uta wo Kikasete"!!

To be honest, I'm not interested in this single so much because it sounds to me a little ordinary for his song (I think his singles tend to be a little catchy and innocuous, though), but it's been already a part of my job to buy his CDs. (^m^*)
And, I bought two books besides it to avoid the payment of postage.
One of them is "A Peanuts book featuring Snoopy（1） ".
The reasons why I bought this book are that it's written in both Japanese and English and that I love Snoopy so much that I thought I wanted to subscribe the Asahi Weekly, not the Mainichi Weekly.
I can't wait for the arrival of it.  (^^)
The other book I bought is a secret for now.
Let's just say that it's a book about reading books in English. (^m^*)

Oh, one more thing.
I bought an interesting and a little strange hair care item yesterday.
It's a hair shampoo brush .

Do you know that?
It's useful to ladies who have long nails and want to wash their hair without getting the nails and the scalps damaged.
I tried using it; I want to write my impression of having used it some other day.

本日到着予定の小包のうち、シャンプーとリンスはもう届いたのに、Amazon からの商品がまだ届かないー！
早く聴きたい＆読みた～い♪
あ、シャンプーブラシ、使っている時の気持ちよさ（マッサージ効果）は思ったより少なかったんですが、確かにいつも以上に髪がサラサラしてますよ。
私はルベルの石鹸系シャンプー＆コンディショナー を使用しているので、髪も頭皮も美容室で褒められるぐらいなんですが、さらにサラサラ♪

私は手や指に痛みがあり、ひどい時は髪を洗うのが苦痛になるほどなので買ってみました。
まだ１回しか使ってないので、何とも言えませんが、思ったよりいいかも・・・です♪
それでも美容師さんにシャンプーして貰う方がウン倍も気持ちいいけどね。

なんだか他にもいろんな物買っちゃったな～。 orz

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美味しいって幸せ

Oh, I didn't write my diary again.
Do you think I've been getting a little lazy about writing my diary recently?
If so, maybe...., youi're right.  (^^;
Not that I don't want to write it.
I just can't find anything to write or didn't have enough time.
Well, everything should be done at my own pace.
Don't you think so?  (^m^*)

And, I watched a recorded "Music Station", on which Avril Lavigne and Cocco had performed last Friday.
As I had expected, Avril sang "When You're Gone"; I'm happy.  (^^)
Cocco's song was also great, but she's lost so much weight that I was terribly surprised.
Is she ok?
She looks so sensitive and mentally fragile that I'm worried she might be suffering from anorexia or something.
I think it's just my imagination, though.
Also, I may not be qualified to say such a thing, because I'm also told very often I'm too thin.
I want to say, however, I just keep my figure!  (^^;
Besides, I have a good appetite.
I ate lots of pizza and salad and drank a jug of beer with my bf yesterday.
On a hot summer day, beer sure hits the spot!  (^m^*)

少し前までの冷夏はどこへやら・・・。
夏の日差しで凶器のように熱を帯びたアスファルトの上に浮かぶのは陽炎？ 蜃気楼？
溶ける前に意識もろとも蒸発してしまいそう・・・。
そんな日はビールが格別☆
ここ数年、飲むことは滅多にありませんが、休み＋夏＋ピザ、とくればビールしかないでしょ。
あぁ♪　美味しいって幸せ♪
夏バテって何？ 　(^m^*)
Coccoもしっかり食べてるのかしら？
実際はどうかは知りませんが、何せ脆そう・・というか危うい感じがする人なので（そこが魅力でもあるんだけどね）、あんなに痩せてる姿を見ると心配しちゃう。

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手抜きですが・・・

Yesterday I rewrote sentences on profile page of mixi, so I couldn't update this blog.
I think I might as well rewrite those of this blog too because I've never done since I first wrote my profile on it.
Well, all in good time.  (^^;
Today I have lots of things to do, so I'm going to copy them onto this blog as today's diary.

Oh, and I watched Avril Lavine singing her song "When You're Gone" on Mezamashi-TV this morning!  (^o^)
That's my No.1 favorite song in her latest album!!
She's made my day!  (^^)

Hi, I'm sakuya. Nice to meet you. 
My HN was named after Konohana-sakuya-hime, who is a famous princess in "Kojiki" (古事記), and a part of whose name: "sakuya", is the origin of Japanese cherry trees' name "sakura".
I love cherry blossoms and was enrolled in mixi during cherry blossom season.
That's why my HN is "sakuya". 

I specialized in information technology at Doshisha University, then I worked as a system engineer.
I've started using the Net since 1986, but I've only just joined this Social Network Service: mixi.
So, I'm still not acquainted with the customs of mixi.
Though I might have left my footprints on your page, please never mind it because I didn't mean to make you feel bad. 

And I've learned English by myself and kept my diary in English since March 2007.
To be honest, the reason why I became a member of mixi is because I heard some mixi's communities for English learners are useful and pretty good.
As I heard, some are so great that I think they are worth taking part in.
I'd like to improve my English and become able to speak, write, read and watch in English whatever I want to.
(I wonder if it's possible for me, though. )
However, my English skill is so poor that there might be lots of mistakes in my composition.
If you find any mistakes, please give me advice anytime.

And one more thing.
I live with my sweet Ruu, a 7-year-old budgerigar (or "budgie", one kind of parakeet) born in my house.
He can speak "Ruu-chan", "kawaii" and something like Japanese.
He's so cute! I'm crazy about him. 

Please send me your message if you're interested in English or parakeets! 

今日の日記は手抜きですね。
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