Live Music in Shinsaibashi on Saturday, March 31st

Dom & Dave Singing at the Shinsaibashi Blarney Stone in Osaka
(Scroll down for more photos & a video)

My friend Dave sings in a band called Revolution. Revolution are playing tomorrow night (Saturday, March 31st) at the Shinsaibashi Blarney Stone in Osaka.

The band will start to play around 8:30 – 9:00 pm. I will be going to the Shinsaibashi Blarney Stone after my last lesson. If you want to join me, come to the school (Be ＆Me 英会話 Club) at 7:00 pm (don’t be late!) or meet me at the pub (Shinsaibashi Blarney Stone Map) any time after 7:15 pm.

Revolution at the Shinsaibashi Blarney Stone in Osaka last October
(Scroll down for more photos & a video)

Mayumi (the Me in Be ＆Me 英会話 Club) watching Dave sing

Pub food at the Shinsaibashi Blarney Stone in Osaka

Finally, here's a video of Revolution playing that rock classic Stairway to Heaven (You can't really see anything, but you get the idea!)...

Hope to see you there tomorrow night!

Saint Patrick's Day 2012 Photos & Video

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We had a great night out at the Shinsaibashi Blarney Stone, in Osaka, on Saturday. If you click on the link above, you can check out some of our photos. There's also a video...



Speaking of the Shinsaibashi Blarney Stone, My friend Dave sings in a band called Revolution. They'll be playing at the Shinsaibashi Blarney Stone on Saturday, March 31st. Here's a taste of what you can expect...


Hope to see you there!

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Saint Patrick's Day Parade Video

Here's a video from last year's Saint Patrick's Day Parade

Click here for Irish Festival Information

Click here for Saint Patrick's Day Parade Map

Click here for photos from last year's Saint Patrick's Day in Osaka

Saint Patrick's Day 2012 in Osaka

このブログ の日 本語訳はこちら をクリックしてください！Click here for photos from last year's Saint Patrick's Day in Osaka

This Saturday, March 17th, is Saint Patrick's Day (click here to find out what Saint Patrick's Day is). The Irish Network of Japan is holding a festival near the Osaka City Hall, on Nakanoshima, to celebrate. There will be stalls selling food, drinks, and Irish goods, as well as live Irish music & dancing. Also, there will be a Saint Patrick's Day parade from 1:00 pm. Click on the links below for more information...

Irish Festival Information

Saint Patrick's Day Map

If it isn't raining, I will be going to the festival from about 12:00 pm. If you want to join me, come to the school at 11:30 am (don't be late!) or look for me at the festival from 12:00 pm (I'll be wearing my green-afro wig!). Your friends are welcome to join you -- of course!

There will be several Saint Patrick's Day parties in Osaka on Saturday night. I recommend The Blarney Stone in Shinsaibashi or Umeda (click on the name for information and maps). In Shinsaibashi, you should check out Murphy's Irish Pub (once again, click on the name for information and a map).

This year, I'm planning to drop in to The Blarney Stone in Shinsaibashi. If you want to join me, meet at the school at 7:00 pm (don't be late!) or look for me in the bar anytime after 7:00 pm. Once again, your friends are welcome to join you!

Whatever you do on Saturday, have a great Saint Patrick's Day!

Click here for photos from last year's Saint Patrick's Day in Osaka

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What Did we Learn from the Tohoku Earthquake?

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One year ago, Tohoku was hit by a powerful earthquake and tsunami. More that 15,000 people were killed. Some of those people would be alive today if they had taken the time to prepare for a possible earthquake. If you live in Japan, you can expect that some time in the future -- maybe soon! -- you will experience a powerful earthquake.

Are you ready for an earthquake? Please read the following links. If you haven't made an emergency pack, checked where your local evacuation area is, and made plans with your family about where to meet after an earthquake, do it today!

Are You Ready for an Earthquake?

地震の備えはありますか？

I was talking with one of our students about this yesterday. She made an excellent suggestion: You should have a pair of rain boots, a pair of work gloves, a whistle, and a flashlight next to your bed in case an earthquake happens while you are sleeping. The boots & gloves will help you deal with broken glass, and so on, after the earthquake, the flashlight will help you find your way in the dark, and the whistle will help you call for help if you are trapped. Thanks for the great idea, Noriko!

OK! Stop thinking about it -- do something about it now!

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スクールカレンダー & イベント

みなさん、こんにちは！オンライン”スクールカレンダー＆お知らせ”の ページをアップデイトしました！当月のサービスレッスン日やキッズクラスの日程、祝 日やイベント案内が日本語で確認できます。

当校の ホームページ（http://www.be-and-me.com/） の “スクールカレンダー”または "生徒のみなさんへ" をクリックして下さい！または直接下記のアドレスへリンクして下さい！（携帯電話からも可能です）

ス クールカレンダー :
http://beandme.blog6.fc2.com/blog-category-3.html

生 徒のみなさんへ :
http://beandme.blog6.fc2.com/blog-category-5.html

Today is a Leap Day (閏日)

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It takes the Earth about 365.26 days to go completely around the Sun once. The 0.26 of a day causes a problem for the people who design calendars. If they don't make allowances for that difference, the dates on the calendar and the real seasons will soon drift apart. The solution is to add an extra day to the calendar every 4 years. That extra day is called a leap day (閏日). A year with an extra day is called a leap year (閏年). 2012 is a leap year. Today is the leap day. Happy leap day!

Traditionally, a man should propose to his girlfriend. (To "propose" means to ask someone to marry you.) In Ireland, it's a tradition that a woman can propose to her boyfriend on a leap day. If you're tired of waiting for your boyfriend to ask you the big question, you can propose to him today. Good luck!

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Celebrating 500 Episodes of the Simpsons

Last Sunday, February 19th, the 5ooth episode of The Simpsons was broadcast in America. To celebrate, I thought I'd post a video of the Simpsons visiting Japan...



And a few videos of Homer & Marge visiting Osaka...

D'oh!

Saint Valentine's Day is Coming Soon!

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Next Tuesday is Valentine’s Day! All across Japan, ladies will be giving obligatory gifts [gifts they feel they should give] to all their male friends – family members, classmates, teachers, co-workers, and so on. I was given my first Valentine's Day gift last Tuesday. It was a box of cookies. The box was hand-decorated by the student, who is only 4 years old...

How cute!

In Western countries, the custom is almost completely opposite. Traditionally, men give a romantic gift – flowers, jewelry, lingerie, perfume, or chocolate – to their special girlfriend. Recently, couples often exchange gifts over a romantic dinner. In many ways, Saint Valentine’s Day in the West is a lot like Christmas Eve in Japan.

Saint Valentine’s Day was first promoted in Japan by chocolate companies. After many unsuccessful attempts to motivate men to buy chocolates for their lady friends, the chocolate companies targeted the ladies instead, creating a unique [special/one of a kind], Japan-only version of the popular international holiday.

“White Day” is a Japanese creation, celebrated nowhere else in the world.

Enjoy your Saint Valentine’s Day – but be careful not to eat too many chocolates!

Who is Saint Valentine? Click on the following links to find out more!

The Origin of Saint Valentine's Day (Beginner Level)
バレンタインって誰？（初級用翻訳）

The Origin of Saint Valentine's Day (Intermediate Level)
バレンタインズデーの始まりは？（中級用翻訳）

And don't forget that eating chocolate is good for your health!

But not if you eat too much, so...

(An important message from Mayumi, the teacher’s wife!)

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Shoe Cream or Chou Cream?

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Would you like a shoe shine with your next English lesson? Recently, our building owner installed an electric shoe cleaner in front of our elevator so you can clean your shoes on the way to your lesson...

One of our students cleaning her shoes

The electric shoe cleaner at work
(Our student needs longer shoes!)

Speaking of shoes, many of my students tell me they like Chou Cream (シュークリーム). Unfortunately, that's Japanese English. In English, it sounds like "shoe cream" -- a polish for cleaning shoes. ("Shoe cream" is more commonly called "shoe polish.")

Shoe Cream -- Yummy?

It seems the Japanese name is a blending of the French "choux à la crème" and the the English word "cream." In Australia, we call them "choux pastries." In America, they're called "cream puffs."

Cream Puffs -- Yummy!

Our building owner has been very generous lately. As well as installing the shoe cleaner, he gave us a new door sign...

Be ＆ Me 英会話 Club
大阪心斎橋の個人英会話学校。フレンドリーで熱心な外国人講師と手ごろな授業料が人気です。

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スクールカレンダー & イベント

みなさん、こんにちは！オンライン”スクールカレンダー＆お知らせ”の ページをアップデイトしました！当月のサービスレッスン日やキッズクラスの日程、祝 日やイベント案内が日本語で確認できます。

当校の ホームページ（http://www.be-and-me.com/） の “スクールカレンダー”または "生徒のみなさんへ" をクリックして下さい！または直接下記のアドレスへリンクして下さい！（携帯電話からも可能です）

ス クールカレンダー :
http://beandme.blog6.fc2.com/blog-category-3.html

生 徒のみなさんへ :
http://beandme.blog6.fc2.com/blog-category-5.html

よ ろしくお願いします！

I've Been Flat Out Like a Lizard Drinking!

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Sorry it’s been sooooo long since my last entry – I’ve been flat out like a lizard drinking!

What does that mean? Read the following to find out! It's a bit long, but it's not difficult. がんばって!

In “standard” English (there’s really no such thing!), to be flat out means to be trying your hardest or to be very busy.

Here are some examples…

Even though he was running flat out (trying his hardest), he didn’t win the race.

We were so flat out (busy) at work, I didn’t have time for lunch.

To be flat out also means to lie very flat on something.

Here’s an example of that meaning…

He was lying flat out on the sofa, fast asleep.

It’s a curious fact that lizards can’t swallow because of the inside shape of their mouths. When a lizard drinks, it has to push itself against the ground – lie flat out – and flick water down it throat with its tongue.

In Australia, we like to make our English sound more interesting by using unexpected comparisons or by replacing commonly used words with well-known but unexpected ones. When we’re very busy we often say, “I’m flat out (busy) like a lizard drinking (lying very flat).” This comparison doesn’t make any sense, but we Australians think it makes our speech sound more colourful.

Next time you feel you have too much to do, say “I’m flat out like a lizard drinking!” It’ll make you smile, and that’ll make your work just a little easier to get through!

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Back to School Today

Be & Me Eikaiwa Club (Be ＆ Me 英会話 Club) starts its 2012 lessons from today. We're looking forward to seeing you soon!

Click on the links below to view our January calendar or 360º photos of the school...

ス クールカレンダー :
http://beandme.blog6.fc2.com/blog-category-3.html

生 徒のみなさんへ :
http://beandme.blog6.fc2.com/blog-category-5.html

PS. I love the photo of Ninomiya Kinjiro! I found it on the Internet, however, I could not find the photographer's name. If this is your photo, please let me know.

Enter the Dragon (Happy New Year!)

Welcome to 2012, the Year of the Dragon! Here's wishing you all a happy, healthy, & fun-filled year! Roar! (グオォォォ！)

PS. The above artwork was painted by our son. He got an "A" for art on his first report card.

PPS. Enter the Dragon was the first Kung Fu movie I ever saw. Check it out...

スクールカレンダー & イベント

みなさん、こんにちは！オンライン”スクールカレンダー＆お知らせ”の ページをアップデイトしました！当月のサービスレッスン日やキッズクラスの日程、祝 日やイベント案内が日本語で確認できます。

当校の ホームページ（http://www.be-and-me.com/） の “スクールカレンダー”または "生徒のみなさんへ" をクリックして下さい！または直接下記のアドレスへリンクして下さい！（携帯電話からも可能です）

ス クールカレンダー :
http://beandme.blog6.fc2.com/blog-category-3.html

生 徒のみなさんへ :
http://beandme.blog6.fc2.com/blog-category-5.html

よ ろしくお願いします！

It's Flea Market, Not Free Market!

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Recently, some of our friends opened a stall (a temporary shop) at a local flea market. Many people in Japan think it's "free market." But if you think about it, nothing's free. The people who open a stall have to pay money to the organizers, and the customers have to pay money for the things they buy.

The real meaning comes from flea (ノミ), a small insect that lives in clothes and or body hair and eats blood.

A Flea

Many flea-market stalls sell old clothes. If those clothes haven't been washed carefully, they might have fleas in them.

When I explained that to our friends, they started to feel...

Itchy!

Next time you go to a flea market, try NOT to think about the meaning too much!

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Happy Pocky Day!

Today is Pocky Day! The reason November 11th is Pocky Day is pretty clear...

Today is an extra special Pocky Day because it's 11/11/11!

How do you celebrate Pocky Day? Well, that’s easy! Just buy some Pockies & share them with your family & friends!

Did you know that they have Pockies in other countries? About 15 years ago, I travelled through Europe with my sister. We took a 3-day bus tour to Pompeii & Amalfi from Rome. (Everybody should visit Pompeii & Amalfi for 3 days!) On the way to Pompeii, the bus stopped at a service station [gas stand] for a break. I felt like a snack – something chocolatey – so I went for a wander through the convenience store. That’s when I found the European version of Pockies…

“The Mikado” is a famous Gilbert & Sullivan musical that is popular in Europe. Maybe that’s why Glico changed the name for the European market.

Internationally, November 11th is Armistice Day (in some countries it’s known as “Poppy Day”), the memorial of the end of World War One (“The War to End All Wars” – Mmmmmm?). An armistice is an agreement to stop fighting. The armistice that ended World War One was signed at 11:00 am, on November the 11th (“the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month"). People usually remember Armistice Day by stopping everything they are doing at exactly 11:00 am, and thinking quietly for 2 minutes about all the people who died in the war.

I guess you can do both today. At 11:00 am, stop whatever you’re doing and think about the uselessness of war and the sacrifices made by all of our ancestors in the name of peace. Sometime after that, cheer yourself up again by sharing some Pockies with your family and friends!

スクールカレンダー & イベント

みなさん、こんにちは！オンライン”スクールカレンダー＆お知らせ”の ページをアップデイトしました！当月のサービスレッスン日やキッズクラスの日程、祝 日やイベント案内が日本語で確認できます。

当校の ホームページ（http://www.be-and-me.com/） の “スクールカレンダー”または "生徒のみなさんへ" をクリックして下さい！または直接下記のアドレスへリンクして下さい！（携帯電話からも可能です）

ス クールカレンダー :
http://beandme.blog6.fc2.com/blog-category-3.html

生 徒のみなさんへ :
http://beandme.blog6.fc2.com/blog-category-5.html

よ ろしくお願いします！

Halloween Party at Ola: The Photos

Click here for Be & Me's Photos of Ola's Halloween Party

Ola's theme for this year's Halloween Party was "The 80's." Boy George, Michael Jackson, Madonna, MC Hammer, even an 80's Drag Queen (we nick-named her Priscilla. And, YES!, it's a HER!). What else could you ask for? Well... a red-Afroed Brazilian, a London bobby, a Mexican wrestler, a cowboy, Kamen Rider, a family of Transformers, a big-headed Death, lots of long legs in short, red mini skirts, witches, zombies, and a Big Mac with a large Coke to go! A good time was had by all!

Click here for Be & Me's Photos of Ola's Halloween Party

Click here for Shino's Photos of Ola's Halloween Party

Halloween Party in Shinsaibashi Tomorrow Night (October 29th, 2011)

Tomorrow night, October 29th, Ola Tacos Bar (a really cool Mexican bar in Shinsaibashi, Osaka) is holding its Halloween Party. The party is part of a bigger event called "The 5 Hallows." You can read all about it (in Japanese) here: The 5 Hallows

Click here for a map to Ola

You can check out photos from Ola's previous Halloween parties by clicking on the following links...

Ola's Halloween Party 2010

Ola's Halloween Party 2009

Ola's Halloween Party 2008

Hope to see you there! Remember - it's more fun if you wear a costume!