Chanson

These days, when I'm in my room, I often sing French songs (chanson) listening "BonBon French" and this "Chanson Best".

At first, I like up-tempo French pops. But recently I also like singing old chanson like,

"Les Feuilles Mortes" Yves Montand
"Le Temps Des Cerieses" Cora Vaucaire
"En Blue Jeans Et Blouson D'cuir" Adamo
"Tombe La Neige" Adamo

I think "Le Temps Des Cerieses" is fairly popular in Japan, because Tokiko Kato sings this song as the theme song of the movie "Kurenai-no-buta" by Hayao Miyazaki.

These songs are registered in the DAM karaoke list. I want to try these songs someday.

Great reward

I work as a temporary staff, and basically there's no chance for me to ask for a raise.

But this time, I get that chance.

In my company, many temporary staffs work so hard and top managers can't manage their work without their help now. So managers started to evaluate their work since last August.

Yesterday when I left the office, my manager asked me to have a small talk.

He said that my hourly wage increased 3 percent (!) from this September.

I didn't expect that my hard work brought me such a great reward.
Wow! Great!

A touch of autumn

I put away a electric fan into the attic and took out a small heater to my room. It's already autumn.

In the morning and evening, I feel a cool and crisp autumn bleeze. It's cold only wearing a T-shirt. I need a long-sleeved shirt or a jacket.

Every end of summer, I feel blue a bit. Perhaps this is because I feel like "I haven't done what I should do and enjoy the summer again this year"...

When I was a school girl, I always kept my homework piling up by the very end of the summer holiday. I used to make up my homework somehow.

Maybe this is the main cause of feeling blue at the end of summer season.

coming Sunday

Today I left the office at the scheduled time (5:30 p.m.) and I'm writing now.
How happy I can get home so early!

This year, I have tried to teach Japanese to foreigners in Gotemba as a volunteer staff. But I canceled it in the fall term, because I'm so busy with my work.
Japanese class is held on Sunday evening and I can go there on that time, but thinking of hectic Monday, it's better not to do that.

In addition, I'm going to take classes at my English school on Sunday next term. Now I'm so looking forward to take a ballroom dance class.
I have learned some steps when I was at the university. I'm lucky, I get a chance to learn it again but in English!

What a pity!

I heard from my mom that "a cat today" in the Saturday morning TV program was ended.

I just applied for that program a week ago!

Pyonta was also disappointed with the news...

Frankenstein

I got a role of Frankenstein in the English drama "Monsters, Inc".
It is not an original character. I act as a new employee monster in Monsters, Inc. And we characterized that he was Frankenstein.

When Japanese hear "Frankenstein", many of them imagine an ugly android, but actually Frankenstein is the name of a scientist who created this creature.

The novel ("Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus " by Mary Shelley) has a serious theme, but this time, I act as a funny, commical "Franken"...because Monsters, Inc. itself is a fantastic comedy! and it's also a heart-warming story. I can't wait to perform this drama!!

Best score!

I was supposed to take a TOEIC IP test as my company's education program tomorrow, but this this time I canceled it because it's easy to expect that I have to work during the time of the test.

I 've already taken TOEIC IP test at my English school, so that's enough. Today I got the score report and that was the best score I've ever had! I'm satisfied with that.

Shiba-inu:a pet on the desk 2

This is another cleaning pet, Shiba-inu, a friend of Bombay. I use it for my PC at home.

Mmm... I prefer Bombay. Well, I'm a cat-lover, so it's natural.

If I got a dog, I would like to have this kind of Japanese Shiba-inu. Shiba-inu looks faithful and clever.

"Dream fit pillow"

I remembered that 21th was my father's birthday, but my mother forgot it!
Yesterday when I got home and ask her that, she realized it on that time, then we rushed to a DIY shopping center to buy something for my father.

We found a pillow, named "Germanium Dream fit pillow". This urethane foam is said to be an applied material which was made for Space Development by NASA. I'm not sure...

Anyway, my father liked it very much and we were so relieved.

I made it!

Bombay: a pet on the desk

Today I got "Bombay" which I ordered the other day.

It's a cleaning pet on the desk, one of the series of "Groomy".
The part of its stomach can catch the dust around PC.
When it gets dirty, I can wash it with a washing maschine.
Also I can put my wrist on it.

How cute and useful!

I didn't know Bombay is a name of a cat. Of course I know Bombay as a name of the city in India. I think we call it Munbai now.
This Bombay is American cat mixed with American shorthair and Burmese. It looks like the symbol of the musical "CATS".

I like it so much!

Gateau chocolate

In the evening, I went shopping to buy ingredients to make a cake for my friend's birthday.
Her birthday is 21th Sep. My father's birthday is the same day as her. But I will not make a cake for you, Dad. Sorry! I can make it for you anytime.

This time, I'm going to make gateau chocolat. I promised making it to her.
So I bought a bitter chocolate, sweet butter, fresh cream, cocoa powder, etc.

But I wonder I can do it, because I'm so busy with my work these days... Well, as the saying goes,

"I will never find time for anything. If I want time, I must make it!"

Shopping

In the afternoon, my parents were going to UNIQLO in Fujinomiya, so I joined them. It's a good chance to get my clothes!

I took my driver's license by staying for about 20 days in the training camp of driving school in Fujinomiya. So roads in Fujinomiya reminded me those days.

On this day I got two jackets, two tanktops and a camisole. I tried to wear some pants, but there was no pants which fitted me...
Everytime I try to wear pants, I think I should do exercise, but I forget it right away.

"A cup of coffee and cakes"

When I finished my work 9:00 p.m. and left the office, my boss invited me to dinner.

I was so surprised.

Indeed he got to care my working conditon. On the other day, he asked me "What can I do to help you with your work?". But there is nothing he can help me with my new job! So I answered jokingly "Nothing. But I always welcome a cup of coffee and cakes."

I didn't mean it. But honestly speaking, I was so pleased to hear that.

After all I ended up listening his career over dinner, but I was satisfied a bit because I could feel that he tried to apologize his attitude to me.

Father Numata

Father Numata lives near my house and always gives us something when he takes a walk in the morning.

Today he gave us a lot of green peppers.

Wow! you shouldn't have...

"I bring something because I'm happy when you and your mother are so pleased!" He said.

Thank you Father Numata!

5S week

There was a 5S lecture last week, and WCM Office says they helds 5S time from 4:30 to 5:00 p.m. during this week. And Production section is the first target. On this busy week!

Well, I decided to change my mind.
I throw old paper records and put those data in order!

So I shut myself in a warehouse during that hour.
Manual labor is good for a change!

Dreadful Monday

Today is the first Monday since I started inputting data in a new style sheet.
I worked over 13 hours? I can't believe it.

But I haven't finished the weight-based weekly caluculation. When I left the office, Mr.M in WCM (World Class Management?) asked me, "Do you finish weekly CAL?" Damn it! I worked over 13 hours and I'm going to get home now! All everyone is too severe!

I didn't say that, I said only "I will do it e-a-r-l-y tomorrow morning" with smile.
You just wait, you will know soon how terribly you treat me.

Qualifications for my career tomorrow

On the way home from Shinjuku, I bought "Nikkei-Woman"( a magazine for working women) to kill time on the train. I bought it for the first time in 1 year. I used to buy this magazine every month.

There was an article which futured "qualifications for your carrer". I often think of taking English qualification test (TOEIC, TOEFL, Eiken, Interpreter-guide, etc...), but I have never thought taking license exam for my job in the future.

If I have time to study, I want to take...

Bookkeeping test
Secretary test
Microsoft Office Specialist
System Administrator (entry-level)

Next year, I want to get one of these qualifications.

Karaoke

On Sunday, I went to karaoke with my friends to blow away my stress. I like singing foreign songs, because it’s better than singing Japanese songs badly. This day, I sang English songs which I learned at the radio English program.

“I Say A Little Prayer”
“You’ve Got A Friend”
“Ferry ‘Cross The Mersey”
“Leaving On A Jet Plane”
“Over The Rainbow”

I sing not only English songs but also other languages songs. I like singing these songs because most people surprise foreign languages and don’t care my bad singing.

“Genghis Khan” (German)
“La Bamba” (Spanish)
“Mais Que Nada” (Portuguese)
“Poupee De Cire Poupee De Son” (French)
“Tout Tout Pour Ma Cherie” (French)
“Volare” (Italian)

Now I practice “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” and “The Loco-Motion”. These songs make me feel so cheerful and bright.

Elocution

Do you know "elocution"?

Elocution is proper speaking in pronunciation, grammar, style, and tone.
I learned this word when I read the blog by You Marukuni.

I want to speak in British English (Queen's English) becuase it sounds so cool. But my English is almost all American one (Japanese English before that!).

Renee Zelleweger, an Oscar-winning American actress, speaks so nice British English in the movie "Brigdet Jone's Diary". I want to be like her!

Well, I'd like to take an elocution lesson in U.K. someday.

BonBon French

I got a French Pops CD today which I ordered at Amazon.
"BonBon French" includes lots of French pops songs which I want to sing at karaoke. For example,

"Les Champs Elysees" Daniele Vidal
"Poupee De Cire, Pupee De Son" France Gall
"Irrestiblement" Sylvie Vartan
"Tous Tous Pour Ma Cherie" Michel Polnareff

Especially I like "Irrestiblement" which used nicely in the movie "Water Boys".
Although French liaison is difficult, I can fake and sing it!

Counseling

Today I talked over my working condition with Ms. A in the general affairs department.

She is mainly in charge of personal management. She already knew that I have been working overtime too long, and undersood my mental problem.

I noticed that I cannot trust my boss now for the first time when she asked that to me. He should know my working condition, but he treats me so coldly as if I were not human...

I said that I could't keep working if this conditon continued.

I felt relief because there was a person who knew my working condition. I wish my boss changed his attitude to me.

Under a lot of pressure

Finally I fell down.

At work, I have to input piles of data to turn in the weekly result to my heartless boss. And I must get used to a new way in a very short term.

At home, I have to do housework (my mom has menopausal disorder) and solve the problem of LAN (now I use dial-up again).

On weekends, I spend two and half hours to go to Shinjuku. I have to put together different opinions and make the script of English drama.

In the end stress kicked me out. No wonder I fell down.

Great healing for me

Suffering from stress

Monrning exercise

Just now I came back from morning walk with Pyonta. It was the first time for me. He suddenly started to run and stop again and again! I became so hot and tired, so I took a shower. I think this is also good for my exercise.

Yesterday, there was the layout change in Production section. I can't say it's better than the previous place. There are some meeting desks behind me (not the wall). Maybe some meeting will bother me, but the atmosphere around me was changed and I felt I can start my work with a fresh mind!

Happy birthday!

Our cat, Pyonta, gets 1 year old today. Actually, we don't know his exact birthday. He came our house on October 17th last year, and he was about 1 month old on that time. So we decided his birthday was September 1st.

Our dream is that Pyonta appears on TV as "a cat today" in the Saturday morning program "Mezamashi-Doyoubi". Before that, we want him to perform something special. Every morning, my mother takes him a walk, keeping him on a leash, like a dog! If he can walk with the lead smoothly, I will apply for "a cat today"!!