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Monday, July 16, 2012
Sunday, July 01, 2012
スクールカレンダー & イベント
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！
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
3D or Not 3D? (or Why I'm Not a Man in Black)
Last Sunday,
my family & I went to see Men in Black 3 in 3D. It was our first 3D
movie. We liked the movie. It had an interesting story & lots of
good actors & funny scenes. Unfortunately, we didn't like the 3D
effect so much. It made the movie look fake.
The "D" in 3D stands for "dimension." A photo or normal TV only has 2 dimensions -- it's wide and high. A 3D movie looks wide, high & deep. Sometimes, I see amusement parks advertising 4D movies. What they really mean is 3D plus some kind of physical effect -- water, wind, heat, and so on. In science, the 4th dimension is time. Men in Black 3's story is all about time travel, so I guess it's a kind of "4D" movie!
By the way, I was once a Man in Black! Watch the video below to see why I'm not one now!
The "D" in 3D stands for "dimension." A photo or normal TV only has 2 dimensions -- it's wide and high. A 3D movie looks wide, high & deep. Sometimes, I see amusement parks advertising 4D movies. What they really mean is 3D plus some kind of physical effect -- water, wind, heat, and so on. In science, the 4th dimension is time. Men in Black 3's story is all about time travel, so I guess it's a kind of "4D" movie!
By the way, I was once a Man in Black! Watch the video below to see why I'm not one now!
Andy Warhol
said that we'd all be famous for 15 minutes. I'm doing my 15 minutes in
2-minute bursts! Here I am doing my best Tommy Lee Jones impersonation
on Japanese TV.
My friend Dave was originally asked to do this "Men in Black" parody for the Japanese comedy duo "Football Hour" by his friend James. Dave couldn't do it because of work commitments so he offered it to me. I agreed to do it on the condition that I didn't have to speak. They assured me it was a non-speaking part. They lied.
On the day of the shoot, after much cajoling, I agreed to do one line. I was also told we'd be called "Agent J" & "Agent K" on camera. However, that information wasn't passed on to the comedians. First, they started calling us by our real names. Next, they seemed to expect that I had memorized more lines. I was really thrown! Thankfully, they were very kind to me when they edited the show together. There's more to this video, but I think this is a good place to stop.
By the way, James speaks excellent Japanese. He was asked to "dumb down" his Japanese for this TV spot.
My friend Dave was originally asked to do this "Men in Black" parody for the Japanese comedy duo "Football Hour" by his friend James. Dave couldn't do it because of work commitments so he offered it to me. I agreed to do it on the condition that I didn't have to speak. They assured me it was a non-speaking part. They lied.
On the day of the shoot, after much cajoling, I agreed to do one line. I was also told we'd be called "Agent J" & "Agent K" on camera. However, that information wasn't passed on to the comedians. First, they started calling us by our real names. Next, they seemed to expect that I had memorized more lines. I was really thrown! Thankfully, they were very kind to me when they edited the show together. There's more to this video, but I think this is a good place to stop.
By the way, James speaks excellent Japanese. He was asked to "dumb down" his Japanese for this TV spot.
Friday, June 01, 2012
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！
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Vodka Spoiler: Big Indies Rock Concert in Shinsaibasi, Osaka, this Saturday, June 2nd
My friends Ken Moore & Shane Inwood (A.K.A. The Gods of Rawk!) recently formed a new rock band called Vodka Spoiler.
This Saturday, June 2nd, Vodka Spoiler is headlining a big indies rock
concert in Shinsaibashi, Osaka. Here are the details...
What: Vodka Spoils Osaka - an indies rock concert featuring 8 bands.
When: This Saturday, June 2nd, from 5:00 pm to 11:00 pm
Where: Pangea in Shinsaibashi, near Big Step (Click Here for Map)
How Much: ¥2,500
Vodka Spoiler hits the stage at around 10:00 pm. Hope to see you there!
You can listen to Vodka Spoiler here:
What: Vodka Spoils Osaka - an indies rock concert featuring 8 bands.
When: This Saturday, June 2nd, from 5:00 pm to 11:00 pm
Where: Pangea in Shinsaibashi, near Big Step (Click Here for Map)
How Much: ¥2,500
Vodka Spoiler hits the stage at around 10:00 pm. Hope to see you there!
You can listen to Vodka Spoiler here:
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Eclipse
Did you watch the solar eclipse (nishoku - 日食)
on Monday? My family & I met another family in a park near our
apartment, where we watched the eclipse through special
glasses. It was a great experience!
The eclipse photographed through the special glasses
Monday's eclipse is called a "golden-ring eclipse" (kinkan nishoku - 金環日食) in Japanese. It's commonly known as a "ring-of-fire eclipse" in English.
For more information about eclipses, go to Mr. Eclipse
In conversation English, “to
eclipse” can also mean to make another thing or person less famous or
successful by being more famous or successful. For example, in the
1980s, handsome young actor Eric Roberts seemed certain to become a big
star.
Eric Roberts
However, he was soon eclipsed by his little sister…
Julia Roberts
If you want to check out Eric Roberts at his best, I recommend these movies:
Star 80 (1983)
The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984)
The Coca-Cola Kid (1985)
(Click on the titles for information about these movies in Japanese)
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！
The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984)
The Coca-Cola Kid (1985)
(Click on the titles for information about these movies in Japanese)
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！
Wednesday, May 02, 2012
A Golden Week of Movies
It's Golden Week in Japan! Golden Week is a collection of unrelated holidays that all fall around the same time. Depending on the year, they can result in either a couple of long weekends or an entire week off. The name comes from a promotion carried out by the cinemas on one of the years that they had a whole week off. The promotion is long gone but the name lives on.
Mayumi & I love movies. We always try to watch a couple of
movies together during Golden Week. Yesterday, we watched The
Boat that Rocked (パイレー
ツ・ロック), the "true" story of pirate
radio in the UK. The DVD was lent to us by one of our
students (Hi, Noriko!). It's a fun movie filled with goofy
characters played by great actors. And the music is excellent! If
you're looking for a movie to watch this Golden Week, we strongly
recommend this one!
Most of the things that happen in the movie are loosley based on the
history of Radio
Caroline
Tuesday, May 01, 2012
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
I love the above photo of carp-shaped streamers. It was taken from Yun Free Stock Photos (©Tomo.Yun (www.yunphoto.net/en/). You can check out more photos in English at www.yunphoto.net/en/ or in Japanese at www.yunphoto.net/.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Anzac Day
Today is Anzac Day, an important holiday in Australia & New Zealand. Click here for more information in English & Japanese.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Be & Me 英会話 Club Now on Facebook
Be & Me 英会話 Club's Facebook Page
We are using Facebook to promote this Saturday's cooking lesson. For more information, go to http://www.facebook.com/events
Feel free to share these links with your friends!
Feel free to share these links with your friends!
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Anzac Biscuit Cooking Lesson
Next Wednesday, April 25th, is Anzac Day, an important holiday in Australia & New Zealand. One of the traditions of Anzac Day is eating Anzac biscuits (a kind of healthy cookie).This Saturday, April 21st, Mayumi is hosting an Anzac Biscuit Cooking Lesson at the Tsurumi Kumin Center in Yokozutsumi, Osaka. The cooking lesson is a Me & Mine mother-&-child English conversation class event, however, all are welcome! The cooking lesson will be held in Japanese. You don't have to speak English to take part in this event. English translation will be available for any non-Japanese speakers who wish to join. Click Here for More Information!
Me & Mine
Mayumi Teaching a "Me & Mine" Class
Be & Me Eikaiwa Club (Be & Me 英会話 Club) teaches English conversation to adults & kids in our funky home-style classroom in Shinsaibashi, Osaka. We also teach adults & kids at the Tsurumi Kumin Center in Yokozutsumi, Osaka, on Tuesdays.Recently, Mayumi (the "Me" in Be & Me) has started teaching mother-and-child classes at the Kumin Center on Tuesday mornings. She calls these classes "Me & Mine". Click Here for More Information!
Anzac Day
Next Wednesday, April 25th, is Anzac Day. Anzac Day is an important holiday in both Australia and New Zealand. ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps [a corps is a big group of people working together. It’s pronounced “Korr”), whose soldiers were known as the Anzacs. Anzac Day remembers all Australian and New Zealand soldiers who have died in war.The Anzacs first fought together in World War One. April 25th, 1915, is the day the Anzacs first landed at Gallipoli, in Turkey. Their goal was to travel inland from Gallipoli and take Istanbul, the capital of the Ottoman Empire, which was helping Germany in the war.
Unfortunately, the plan didn’t work. The Anzacs were stuck on the beach at Gallipoli for 8 months. Conditions were very bad. Many soldiers - both the Anzacs and the defending Turks - were wounded. Many others got sick. Finally, the Anzacs had to retreat. In that time, more than 8,000 Australian and 2,700 New Zealand soldiers were killed.
Australia and New Zealand were relatively “new” countries. Even though the Gallipoli attack had been a failure, the determination and sacrifice of the Anzacs had a big impact on the national identity of both countries.
Anzac Day starts with a dawn service (a Christian ceremony to remember the dead, held at dawn [just as the sun begins to rise]). Later in the morning, parades are held in almost every town and city across both countries. Veterans [returned soldiers] march through the streets followed by active soldiers, and other uniformed service groups. The parades usually finish at monuments remembering the war dead, where more ceremonies are held. As part of these ceremonies, wreaths [circles of flowers] are placed at the feet of the monuments and buglers play “The Last Post” [a very sad sounding piece of music].
Returned soldiers march in an Anzac Day Parade
A bugler plays “The Last Post”
A bugler plays “The Last Post” 
People lay wreaths
In the afternoon (or the weekend before), various sporting events are held to commemorate the day. The most notable of these is the Anzac Test Match, a rugby league game played between the Australian and New Zealand national teams.
After all the ceremonies and games are finished, parties are held for the veterans. These parties often take place in pubs or Returned Servicemen’s Clubs (RSL’s). During the First World War, soldiers often relaxed by playing gambling games. The most popular game was “Two-Up,” a simple coin-tossing game. Although it’s now illegal, games of “Two-Up” are usually an important part of the veterans’ parties.
After all the ceremonies and games are finished, parties are held for the veterans. These parties often take place in pubs or Returned Servicemen’s Clubs (RSL’s). During the First World War, soldiers often relaxed by playing gambling games. The most popular game was “Two-Up,” a simple coin-tossing game. Although it’s now illegal, games of “Two-Up” are usually an important part of the veterans’ parties.
A “Two-Up” board
***
The 1981 Peter Weir movie Gallipoli is a moving retelling of the Anzac story. This movie is also famous for introducing a very young Mel Gibson to international audiences.Monday, April 16, 2012
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Simon Yates & Friends Live in Rokkomichi this Saturday, April 14th
I recently posted some pictures of our cherry blossom-viewing/Easter egg-hunting picnic. One of the pictures I didn't post was this one of our friend Simon Yates with some cosplayers.This Saturday (April 14th), Simon will be playing live music with a couple of his friends at Andy's Imagine, a cool little bar in Rokkomichi, near Kobe.
Who? Beermoth (that's the band's name): Simon Yates on guitar & vocals, Gareth Tame on bass, & Shin-chan on drums
Where? Andy's Imagine (090-1133-1501) in Rokkomichi, near Kobe - Click here for map
When? Saturday, April 14th, from 8:00 - 10:00 pm
How much? It's free! The band are playing for tips. Throw some money in the jar to thank them for sharing their time & talent!
Free Tequila! Yes! Kind of! It's free when you buy your first beer (as long as you buy your first beer before 8:30 pm!). It gets more expensive as it gets later in the night. So get there EARLY!
I will definitely be there! I hope to see you there, too!
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Photos from Last Sunday's Spring Picnic
The park was full of cherry blossoms...
...and Cosplayers (I have never seen so many!)
It was Easter Sunday so we organized an egg huntThe kids hunting for eggs
Our favorite cherry blossom-viewing spot
The sakura-lined pond in the Japanese garden at Tsurumi Ryokuchi Park in Osaka, JapanWednesday, April 04, 2012
Easter
This Sunday, April 8th, is Easter – the most important Christian holiday.Easter is closely linked to the Jewish holiday of Passover (people often forget that Jesus was Jewish). The date of Passover is based on a lunar calendar so it changes every year. This year, Passover falls on April 7th – this Saturday! Christians believe that Jesus Christ was executed [killed by the government] on Good Friday, the day before Passover. Two days later, he came back to life, proving to everyone that he was the Son of God.
Traditionally, children celebrated Easter by decorating hard-boiled eggs and then giving them to friends & family. Recently, children are given gifts of decorated chocolate eggs, rabbits, and chicks. They are told that the chocolates were delivered to their homes by the Easter Bunny early in the morning while they were still sleeping. Some people hold picnics that feature Easter-egg hunts. The picnic organizers hide decorated eggs around the picnic site. Children search for the eggs, trying to find as many as they can. One of the most famous Easter-egg hunts in the world is held at the American White House each year.
President Obama with the Easter Bunny at the White HouseHere are some highlights from 2009's Easter Sunday at the White House...
The eggs, rabbits & chicks are all symbols of new life used in ancient European spring festivals celebrated thousands of years before the birth of Jesus Christ. Even the name “Easter” comes from these ancient festivals. Eastre was the ancient German goddess of spring. When the Christians came to power in Europe, they took over the old spring festival. They said that the traditional symbols of new life (eggs, rabbits & chicks) now represent Jesus coming back to life.
Even if you’re not Christian, you can still celebrate Easter. It’s easy – just eat some chocolate!
Sunday, April 01, 2012
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
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