This is Off!

Is it just me, or is this beer…

?

In English, “off’ can have many different meanings: to say food or drinks are “off,” means they have gone bad. For example, if you leave milk out of the fridge for too long in summer, it goes off (it starts to smell bad, gets lumpy, and even turns a green colour).

If we say a person is “off,” it can mean that they are strange. Most people agree that Michael Jackson is a bit off.

However, “off” can also mean to leave. “I’m off!” simply means “I’m going!”

In Australia, we like to mix meanings – just for fun! Instead of saying “I’m going!” some Australians say, “I’m off like a bucket of prawns [shrimp] in the midday sun!” or “I’m off like a bride’s nightie [ladies’ sleepwear]!” (Think about it!!!)

Anyway, I’m off! Enjoy your “Off!”

(For a Japanese translation of this entry, Click Here!)

Next Tuesday is Saint Patrick's Day!

March 17th – next Tuesday! – is Saint Patrick’s Day, a popular holiday all over the world.

Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. From about 1845 to 1849, there was a great famine [a time when there was no food] in Ireland. About 3,000,000 people died. At that time, many people left Ireland looking for a better life in other countries like England, America, & Australia. Today, about 40 million people in America (including Bill Clinton) are descendents of Irish immigrants. That’s one of the reasons Saint Patrick’s Day is so popular all over the world.

The main way to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day is to drink beer – that’s one of the other reasons that Saint Patrick’s Day is so popular!

Drinking green beer & Guinness at Murphy’s Irish Pub, in Shinsaibashi, on Saint Patrick’s Day.

Green is the colour of Ireland. If you visit an Irish pub on Saint Patrick’s Day, you should try a green beer and a Guinness. Green beer is just draft beer with food colouring in it. If you have to choose between the green beer & the Guinness, you should choose the Guinness!

There are two really good Irish bars in Osaka. In Umeda, you should go to The Blarney Stone (go to http://www.the-blarney-stone.com/ for information and a map). In Shinsaibashi, you should check out Murphy’s Irish Pub (go to http://www.murphysosaka.com/ for information and a map).

Have a happy Saint Patrick’s Day!

Magical Starlight Parade at Universal Studios Japan

On Sunday afternoon, my family & I went to Universal Studios Japan. We had a great time!

First, we watched the Blues Brothers’ Show. What fun!

The original Blues Brothers movie (Click here for info in Japanese) is 29 years old –but it’s still great fun! It features performances by rhythm & blues greats like Cab Calloway, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, & Ray Charles, as well as a cameo [a small role acted by a famous person] by Steven Spielberg. You can rent it on DVD in Japan. You should definitely watch it. But don’t worry; you can still enjoy the Blues Brothers’ Show even if you haven’t seen the movie!

After the show, we found a piece of curb and waited for the Magical Starlight Parade. The parade started at 7:00 p.m., and it was worth the wait!

Kitty Chan, Snoopy & Elmo

Alice in Wonderland

Arabian Nights

They also had some floats based on Cinderella.

On the way back to the station, we noticed a street performer named Riki getting ready to do a show. We decided to stay and watch his performance. It was a good decision! He’s a very good juggler and a very, very funny comedian.

I stole this photo from Riki’s Homepage; http://www.riki-jp.com/
(I hope he doesn’t mind!)

I enjoyed his show so much; I recommend you make a special trip to see him. You can check his schedule at http://rikijp.wordpress.com/

Online Calendar & Announcements Pages Updated in Japanese!

We've just updated our online Calendar & Announcements pages. By visiting them, you can check our Service Lesson time, Kids' Classes Model Lesson dates, holidays, and special events – all in Japanese!

To check them out, go to http://www.be-and-me.com/ Then click on the “スクールカレンダー” or "生徒のみなさんへ" buttons. Or click on the links below;

スクールカレンダー [The School Calendar]:

http://beandme.blog6.fc2.com/blog-category-3.html

生徒のみなさんへ [Be & Me Announcements]:

http://beandme.blog6.fc2.com/blog-category-5.html

Online Calendar & Announcements Pages Updated in Japanese!

We've just updated our online Calendar & Announcements pages. By visiting them, you can check our Service Lesson time, Kids' Classes Model Lesson dates, holidays, and special events – all in Japanese!

To check them out, go to http://www.be-and-me.com/ Then click on the “スクールカレンダー” or "生徒のみなさんへ" buttons. Or click on the links below;

スクールカレンダー [The School Calendar]:

http://beandme.blog6.fc2.com/blog-category-3.html

生徒のみなさんへ [Be & Me Announcements]:

http://beandme.blog6.fc2.com/blog-category-5.html