"A" is for Apple, "B" is for ...

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"W" is for window, "X" is for ... ???

I spotted this ABC frieze (a kind of wall decoration) in a kindergarten classroom on Monday. The "W" is probably for window. Mayumi thinks "X" is for "X-Files." Our friend Simon thinks it's Xenophobia (to be scared of strangers and/or foreigners).

Do you have any ideas?

And speaking of "X-Fools," check this out...

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Japanese Earthquake Charity Concert this Weekend (May 28th & 29th)

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This weekend (May 28th & 29th), there's a big international charity concert being held in Ogimachi Park, near Umeda. The event is scheduled to start at 11:00 am each day (but don't go too early -- these events usually take a couple of hours to warm up!) The concert is free. There will also be some stalls & information booths. Money raised through donations, t-shirt sales, and so on will be used to help to help the victims of the Tohoku Earthquake.

Click Here for More Information in Japanese

Click Here for Map

Here's a guide to some of the bands that will be playing...

It should be great fun! We'll be there from mid afternoon on Sunday. Call my cell phone if you can't find us.

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Simon Yates & Friends Live Tomorrow Night (Saturday, May 21st)

Tomorrow night, our friend Simon Yates will be playing live acoustic music with a couple of his friends at Andy's Imagine, a cool little bar in Rokkomichi, near Kobe. If you're down Kobe way (or you're looking for an excuse to be down Kobe way), you should definitely check it out.

Here are the details...

Who? Simon Yates on guitar & vocals, Shinchan on drums, & (probably) Glen Gregus on Bass
Where? Andy's Imagine (090-1133-1501) in Rokkomichi, near Kobe - Click here for map
When? Saturday, May 21st, from 8:30 - 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!

The above video will give you an idea of what to expect. (Please note that Tomo, the bassist in that video, will probably not be playing this weekend.) Here's a picture I took at the last gig...

Simon, Shinchan, & Glen work their magic!

By the way, Simon's last gig was a charity event to raise money for the victims of the Tohoku earthquake. Simon, Shinchan, Glen & their special guest Ryouta Yukii raised 21400 yen. They donated the money to Diane Orrett to help pay for her trips to Tohoku evacuation centres to cheer up the kids with her balloon art shows and old people with her Rakugo performances.

Simon gives the donation to Diane

Buzz Lightyear Lives!

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My wife and I are big fans of Pixar movies, especially the Toy Story series. We even dressed up as Buzz Lightyear & Woody for Halloween 2000.

Buzz Lightyear & Woody
(Photo on the right by Atsushi Takamatsu)

Recently, I read a news story with a link to a video that reminded me of Buzz Lightyear...

I want one!

That reminds me of a classic Japanese high school English lesson - "If I were a bird, I would fly to you." If I were a bird, it would be something like this...

Awesome! (which means "that's really cool/great!")

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Japanese Earthquake Charity Album Download

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Some of our friends have put together an album of songs by Japan-based indies bands. You can download 48 songs for only 1,000 yen (about $10). The money will be donated to the Japan Red Cross to help victims of the Tohoku Earhquake.

Here's a video of Deron Reynolds, one of the organisers of the album, explaining what it's all about in English & Japanese...

Click on the banner below for more information in English & Japanese...

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Jazz Concert Next Saturday, April 30th!

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I've often said one of the great things about living in Japan is all of the interesting people I've been able to meet. One of those people is professional jazz drummer Tommy Campbell. He has played with such jazz giants as Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, & The Manhattan Transfer, just to name a few.

The great news is that he'll be having a concert at Mr. Kelly's Jazz Bar in Umeda this coming Saturday, April 30th. Tommy will be performing with 2 vocalists, a pianist, and a bass player. If you're into jazz or you want to hear world-class jazz for the first time, this is a show you definitely do not want to miss. There will be two performances, one starting at 7:30 pm, the other starting at 9:15 pm. Tickets cost ¥ 4,000 each. Click on the following links to learn more...

Tommy's Gig Info in Japanese

Tommy's Gig Info in English

Mr. Kelly's Jazz Bar in Umeda

Map to Mr. Kelly's Jazz Bar in Umeda

I first met Tommy many, many years ago when he married one of my students. Not only is he a great drummer, but he's also great guy...and very, very tall! He came to our wedding party way back when I (kind of!) had hair...

Tommy & friends (his & ours) at our wedding party. Tommy's in the back of that photo and he's still towering over everyone!

You can check out some of Tommy's magic in this video...

Tommy's playing solo in this video. Don't forget that he'll be performing in a band at the concert on Saturday

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Easter

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This Sunday, April 24th, 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 23rd – tomorrow! 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.

Click here for a video of 2009’s Easter 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!

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BreadGirl

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It’s no secret that I like comic-book heroes – especially Batman! (Actually, I AM Batman!) Recently, I was talking to a student about the Batman movies. (She watched 5 of them in 2 weeks, which I think deserves some kind of medal!) At the end of the lesson, I asked her to make up her own comic-book hero. She created… By the way, did you know most famous comic-book heroes have a girl version? There's...

Batgirl

Supergirl

Spider-girl

What comic-book hero would you like to create?

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Japanese Earthquake Charity Concert - Tonight (April 9th)!

Tonight, our friend Simon Yates will be playing live acoustic music at Andy's Imagine (090-1133-1501), a cool little bar in Rokkomichi, near Kobe. It's a charity concert to help the victims of the recent earthquake. If you're down Kobe way (or you're looking for an excuse to be down Kobe way), you should definitely check it out. We hope to see you there!

Click here for map to Andy's Imagine

Photos from the 2011 Be & Me Spring Picnic

Last Sunday, we held our annual Be & Me Spring Picnic in Tsurumi Ryokuchi Park, in Osaka. We had a great day – despite the cold! There were nearly as many cosplayers as picnickers!

Click Here for More Spring Picnic Photos

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！

PUZZLE PROJECT at KIX & PUZZLE PROJECT Earthquake Charity Exhibition

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One of the most interesting people I've met in Japan is artist Takashi Inaba. As well as making his own art, Mr. Inaba also puts together projects by groups of artists. The ongoing PUZZLE PROJECT is a good example. Luckily, you can check out 2 PUZZLE PROJECT exhibitions in April & May. The first is PUZZLE PROJECT in KIX (Kansai International Airport), which is pictured above. Don't forget to look for it ion the 4th floor if you're passing through the airport in the next couple of months.

Since the big earthquake in Tohoku, Mr. Inaba has been thinking about ways he can help. He's holding a special PUZZLE PROJECT Charity Exhibition at his bar Uni Pon Pon Kau Kau in Umeda, Osaka. The exhibition will run from now until Sunday, May 8th. Money raised by the exhibition will be donated to victims of the earthquake through the Japanese Red Cross Society.

Click Here for Map to Uni Pon Pon Kau Kau

By the way, Mayumi & I both have pieces in the PUZZLE PROJECT in KIX exhibition...

"Mandala" by Mayumi Rigby

"The Other Side" by David Rigby

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Special Events for March

I've already said quite a lot about the recent earthquake (see Are You Ready for an Earthquake?). The best things we can do from now are 1) Make a Donation, 2) Be Prepared for the Next One & 3) Get on with Our Lives.

I've just posted some pictures of this year's Saint Patrick's Day Party at Murphy's Irish Pub & the Saint Patrick's Day Parade in Osaka on our School's Online Photo Albums.

Click here to see them all.

Next up on our list of special events for March is ...

The Simon Yates concert at Andy's Imagine, in Rokkomichi on Saturday, March 26th, and...

The bilingual comedy show by The Pirates of the Dotonbori at The Blarney Stone in Shinsaibashi on Sunday, March 27th

Unfortunately, we won't be able to make it to Simon's concert this month (however, we will be at his next concert on April 9th). We will definitely be at the comedy show – hope to see you there!

Are You Ready for an Earthquake?

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For advice (in Japanese) about how you can help victims, go here: http://ameblo.jp/sakurayama-life/entry-10830678828.html

To make a donation (in Japanese), go here: http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/feature/eq2011/bokin.htm?from=ytop

Luckily, Osaka wasn't affected by the big earthquake that struck Japan on Friday. It's strange how life seems completely unchanged in Osaka but when you turn on the TV you see images that you'd expect to see in some disaster movie. What I find stranger is the number of people who spent the weekend watching the disaster on TV but who did nothing to prepare for the same thing happening here.

Are you ready for a major earthquake in Osaka? Is your home safe in an earthquake? Do you know what to do in an earthquake? Do you know what to do after an earthquake? Do you have an emergency pack ready for after an earthquake? If your answer to any of these questions is "no," than do something about it now!

Is your home safe in an earthquake?

1) Make sure exits from your building are not blocked. Bicycles parked near exits will fall over, making it difficult for you to get out quickly in an emergency. (But DON'T try to get out during an actual earthquake – see below!)

2) Kitchens are especially dangerous. Make sure all your glassware is behind doors.

We use child locks to make sure our kitchen cupboards won't open in an earthquake

3) Make sure all tall/heavy furniture is secure.

Braces to stop our kitchen cabinet from falling over

Do you know what to do in an earthquake?

1) DO NOT RUN OUTSIDE! Many people are injured by tiles & pieces of buildings falling on them while they are trying to exit the building.

2) DO NOT USE ELEVATORS! Elevators often stop working after an earthquake. If it's a big earthquake, it could be days before anyone can rescue you.

3) GET UNDER COVER! Many injuries are caused by falling furniture, lights, and pieces of concrete dropping out of the ceiling. Get under a table or bed. Hold onto one of the legs so that it doesn't move away from you. However, if you have a piano, do not get under it – those legs are not as strong as they look.

4) If there is no strong table near you, crouch against an inside wall or stand in a doorway. In a strong earthquake, the door can move around a lot. Lean against it so that it doesn't hit you.

5) Do not look out the window. Last Friday, workers in the building opposite Be & Me actually ran to the windows of their office and leaned up against them to get a better view of what was happening outside. If windows break, you get cut. If you're leaning against them on the 4th floor, you fall four floors to the concrete below before getting showered with broken glass!

Do you know what to do after an earthquake?

As soon as the earthquake is over, go to your front door and make sure you can open it. Leave it open. Do not go outside unless you think your building is in danger of collapsing or you are told to by someone in authority (police, fire fighters, etc.). Turn off your gas and any heaters or stoves.

Mayumi's sister lives in Saitama. Her husband works in Tokyo. On Friday, the earthquake hit at about 2:45 pm but she could not contact him until 11:00 pm. Your phones will not work after a major earthquake. You need to make a meeting plan with your family now. We have a 3-point meeting plan – first, we go to our son's school; next, our home; and finally, our local emergency evacuation area. We have visited our local evacuation area and chosen a place to meet there. Do you know where your local evacuation area is? Do you have a meeting plan? Talk to your family now!

If you are trapped in your home after an earthquake...

• Do not light a match.
• Do not move about or kick up dust.
• Cover your mouth with a handkerchief or clothing.
• Tap on a pipe or wall so rescuers can locate you. Use a whistle if one is available. Shout only as a last resort. Shouting can cause you to inhale dangerous amounts of dust.

Do you have an emergency pack?

After a major earthquake, it could be 2 or 3 days before the government can start helping you. You need to be ready to look after yourself during this time. Our family has emergency back packs in our entranceway (genkan). If we have to evacuate, we can grab them on the way out the door.

Our emergency packs are always next to the front door

Your emergency pack should contain the following...

*Flashlight (electricity may be cut off)
*Radio – battery operated
*Batteries
*Cell-phone recharger (battery or hand-powered)
*Whistle (to call for help)
*Dust masks (there will be a lot of dust in the air from damaged buildings. A lot of this dust contains dangerous chemicals)
*Pocket knife
*Space blanket
*Work gloves (you may need to move broken concrete, glass, etc.)
*Emergency cash (small notes & coins)
*Sturdy shoes, a change of clothes, clean underwear & socks, a rain coat, and a warm hat/sun hat
*Water (2 litres/person/day – that's 6 kilograms of water per person! Test carrying your bag before there's an earthquake. If it's too heavy, leave some of the water in a separate bag in the entranceway so you can come back for it if you really need to.)
*Food (we use muesli bars. They are light, long lasting, & relatively high in nutrition & energy.)
*Toilet paper (TOILET PAPER!)
*Garbage bags (for the used toilet paper, etc – when you gotta go, you gotta go!)
*First Aid Kit (bandages, pain killers, diarrhoea medicine, antiseptic, etc.)
*Any special medicine you may need (prescription medicine you may take for heart condition, asthma, etc.)
*List of allergies to any drug (especially antibiotics) or food
*List of emergency point-of-contact phone numbers
*Copy of health insurance and identification cards
*Extra eye glasses, hearing aid or other vital personal items
*Toothbrush and toothpaste
*Any special-needs items for children, old people & pets

To be honest, our emergency packs don't contain everything I've listed above, but anything is better than nothing! If you don't have an emergency pack, make one today!

Click here for more information in Japanese: http://www.tokyo-icc.jp/guide/kinkyu/05.html

By the way, You can buy pre-made emergency packs from shops like Tokyu Hands. If you don't have the time to make your own pack, you should go there today.

How can we help those already affected?

Many people are wondering how they can help those people already affected by the earthquake. The short answer is "SEND MONEY!" But be careful who you send money to! Most of the banks & newspapers have set up special accounts for donations. I think you can trust them. Yesterday, I passed 2 people on the street collecting money in a bucket. Who were they? Maybe they were good people, but maybe they weren't. Also, don't trust people who ask for money through e-mails & the internet. They may be good people but ... ?

To make a donation (in Japanese), go here: http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/feature/eq2011/bokin.htm?from=ytop

Mayumi has a friend who lives in the disaster area. He has written (in Japanese) about how you can help on his Blog. Go to: http://ameblo.jp/sakurayama-life/entry-10830678828.html to find out more.

To be prepared is to be safe! Stay safe!

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Special Events for March & April

There's a bunch of special events happening in March & April. Here are the details...

March 17th - Saint Patrick's Day at Murphy's Irish Pub in Shinsaibashi, Osaka
The students & friends of Be & Me celebrate this popular international holiday every year at Murphy's, Osaka's oldest Irish pub. We'll be there again next Thursday! Why don't you join us?

Click here to see some photos from last year!

March 19th - Saint Patrick's Day Parade in Osaka
Last year, we took part in the Saint Patrick's Day Parade in Kyoto. This year, there is a parade right in the middle of Osaka. The parade will probably kick off at 2:00. We hope to see you there!

Meet here!

Parade Course

Click here for some photos from last year!

March 20th - "Pirates of the Dotonbori" at Murphy's Irish Pub
Check out this bilingual comedy group at Murphy's Irish Pub, in Shinsaibashi. Unfortunately, I won't be able to go to this show. I'll definitely be at their next show on March 27th!

March 26th - Simon Yates Concert at Andy's Imagine, in Rokkomichi
Our friend Simon will be playing live acoustic music at Andy's Imagine (090-1133-1501), a cool little bar in Rokkomichi, near Kobe. Unfortunately, I won't be able to make it. However, if you're down Kobe way (or you're looking for an excuse to be down Kobe way), you should definitely check it out.

Click here for map to Andy's Imagine

March 27th - "Pirates of the Dotonbori" at The Blarney Stone in Shinsaibashi

I will definitely be at this show. I've heard great things about this bilingual comedy group. Let's have a few beers and a lot of laughs together at this one!

Click here for a map to The Blarney Stone in Shinsaibashi

April 3rd - The Be & Me Spring Party

One of the highlights of the annual Be & Me Event Calendar is the Spring Party at Tsurumi Ryokuchi Park, in Osaka. Ask Rigby or Mayumi for more details.

Click here to see some photos from last year!

April 9th - Simon Yates Concert at Andy's Imagine, in Rokkomichi

Another event that I'll definitely be attending! Our friend Simon will be playing live acoustic music at Andy's Imagine (090-1133-1501), a cool little bar in Rokkomichi, near Kobe. Why don't you join us!

Click here for map to Andy's Imagine

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！

Atmosphere – Photo Exhibition by Atsushi Takamatsu Until March 5th (Party Photos)

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Atsu (standing in the center) with some of the musicians who played last night at his exhibition party

Exhibition party-goers talking, eating, drinking & enjoying the photos - of course!

My good friend Atsu Takamatsu, a commercial photographer based in Osaka, is holding a photo exhibition at Galeria Cero, near the American Village, until Saturday, March 5th. Last night, Mayumi & I went to his exhibition party. As you can see from the photos above, a good time was had by all!

You can find out more about the exhibition here!

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Bilingual Improv Comedy Show in Shinsaibashi on Sunday, February 27th

One of my friends is in a comedy group called The Pirates of the Dotonbori (Great name, eh?!). They are having a show tomorrow night at Balabushka, in the American Village (Amerika Mura), near Shinsaibashi. It should be a great show!
Here are the details in in Japanese...

2011の最初のショーは今月の27日です！

7時半に心斎橋のバラブシュカでやりますので、入場金は1500円で、１ドリンク付き！

いつも通りにライブ即興コントやる予定ですけど、今回僕たちはハロウィーンショーでやって見たスタイルをまたやります。このスタイルは面白いと思われたキャラクターが色んなシーンに出てきて、結果はおもろいに違いない！

アップデートやニュースなどは　www.piratesofthedotombori.com　やで！
TwitterではOsakaimprovの名前を使います！
Facebook/Mixi　でも、検索できますよ。

また27日ね！

Unfortunately, I'm going to another event that night so I won't be able to make it. You'll definitely see me at their next show on March 27th at The Blarney stone, in Shinsaibashi!

Atmosphere – Photo Exhibition by Atsushi Takamatsu Until March 5th

My good friend Atsu Takamatsu, a commercial photographer based in Osaka, is holding a photo exhibition at Galeria Cero, near the American Village, until Saturday, March 5th. I checked out his photos yesterday. As you can see from the photos above, his photos look really cool. You should definitely visit the gallery!

You can find out more about the exhibition here!

Atmosphere – Photo Exhibition by Atsushi Takamatsu Starts Tomorrow (February 22nd)

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My good friend Atsu Takamatsu, a commercial photographer based in Osaka, is holding a photo exhibition from tomorrow (February 22nd) to Saturday, March 5th, at Galeria Cero, near the American Village.

You can find a map to Galeria Cero here.

The title of the exhibition is Atmosphere (sounds like “at-moss-feer”). In English, “atmosphere” has 2 meanings…

1) The gas around a planet. For example, the Earth’s atmosphere is mainly nitrogen and oxygen. The Moon has no atmosphere.

2) The feeling of a place. For example, Ola Tacos Bar has a friendly atmosphere.

Atsu was born and grew up in Umeda, right in the center of Osaka. He explained to me that with this exhibition he’s trying to show how the city has an atmosphere of home-town nature for him.

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