Vacation in Duluth

Sunday, June 6, 2010
Weather: Clear
Temperature: 65 F (18 C)


Last month, I went home for a week to relax a little bit after the school year finished. On the first weekend, May 14-16, Erik and I went to Duluth. Duluth is a town in Minnesota, right next to Lake Superior. It is very pretty, and a really nice place to go on vacation! We stayed at the Willard Munger Inn, and it was very nice.


This is Erik opening his present from me. He needs a shave!


This is a picture of some houses in Duluth. It was a very sunny day!


This is the lighthouse in Duluth. The beach was a little cold, but fun to walk around.


Duluth has an aquarium! This is a picture of me taking a picture of me taking a picture of the aquarium.

日本語

Spring Semester - Finished

Sunday, May 9, 2010
Weather: Windy
Temperature: 54 F (12 C)

Hi guys!

The end of the semester is always very busy. I was working very hard on final projects last week, but now, I'm all finished! Hopefully, this summer, I can find an idea for my master's thesis, and I also have my job at the Donald Keene Center. But I won't be too busy again until the end of the semester. Yay!

This picture is me with some friends at the TESOL/Applied Linguistics department end-of-year party.




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Pictures of Columbia University

Monday, April 12, 2010
Weather: Cloudy
Temperature: 60 F (15 C)

Last week, a friend asked me to post some pictures of Columbia University. The next day, the weather here in New York was beautiful! The temperature was 82 F (27 C), and the sun was out, so I decided that I needed to go outside and have some fun.

The lion is Columbia's mascot.


These pictures are on campus at Columbia. I don't know what all the buildings are, because Columbia University is very large!


This building is very famous. Long ago, it was a library, but now, it's an auditorium and museum.


This is on the entry gate. Columbia University used to be called "King's College," when America was part of England. So Columbia's symbol is a crown!


This statue is next to one of the buildings. I have no idea what it is!


This is the Teachers College! I live in the last building on the right.


This is across the street from the Teachers College. It's my favorite restaurant for sandwiches. They have an internet connection, so I come here often to eat lunch or drink coffee while I do my homework.


These next two pictures are flowers on campus. Spring is so pretty, isn't it?


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First Flowers of Spring

Sunday, April 4, 2010
Weather: Sunny
Temperature: 74 F (23 C)

Hi everybody!

I looked out the window today, and noticed that the flowers on the tree next to my building are blooming! The weather was so nice, I just had to take a few pictures.


This is the street outside my house. The tree with flowers is at the bottom.


Aren't these flowers pretty? I took this photo on the way to the grocery store.

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Spring Pasta Recipe

Saturday, April 3, 2010
Weather: Sunny
Temperature: 54 F (13 C)

This week, the weather started out really bad. It was around 45 F (6 C), and very rainy. But it has been getting better since Thursday, and tomorrow is supposed to be 70 F (19 C)! New York seems to be very unpredictable, just like Minnesota.

Recipe Corner
I found a new pasta recipe that is very simple and delicious. It tastes a lot like spaghetti, but the sauce is made from fresh ingredients instead of sauce from a can.

If you can't find fresh ingredients, canned ingredients are okay too, but of course, more freshness means better taste!

The recipe is for 4 people.

Ingredients
120g. cannelli beans (or cooked chicken)
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic (or 1/4 t. garlic powder)
15 fresh sage leaves (or 1 t. dried sage)
400g. tomatoes
salt and pepper
280g. pasta (rigatoni or penne is best)

Preparation
If you are using dried beans, soak them overnight before the recipe, and then boil them for 45 minutes.
If you are using canned beans, drain them before measuring out 120g.
If you are using chicken, cut it into little shreds.
Crush the garlic cloves.
Peel and chop the tomatoes. If you are using canned tomatoes, drain them.
Cook the pasta in water as normal. Drain.
Combine all the ingredients in a frying pan over medium heat, and toss them together, making sure everything is well mixed and heated.

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Back from break

Saturday, March 27, 2010
Weather: Sunny
Temperature: 38 F (4 C)

Hi everybody. I came back from Spring break last Monday (the 22nd). It was fun and relaxing. One day, I drove to Wisconsin with my mother to visit my aunt and grandmother. Along the way, we saw a bison farm. Bison are very delicious. It tastes like beef, but almost with sort of a "ham" kind of aftertaste.



We also saw some trees where sap was being taken to make maple syrup. Wisconsin makes the best syrup!



I got a new job here in New York. It's just part time, but it's pretty important. Starting this week, I am the program coordinator for the Donald Keene Center for Japanese Culture. Right now, we are preparing for an important lecture on photography given by Yasumasa Morimura. It will be on the 14th of April.

How is everybody's Sprink break? If you are in school in Japan, right now is break time, right? Have fun, and good luck on your next school year!

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Spring Break

Friday, March 12, 2010
Weather: Rainy
Temperature: 45 F (12 C)

Spring break is here. Yay! I'm going home to Minnesota tomorrow. I'll relax and have fun and take lots of pictures to post here next week!

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Busy!

Tuesday, February 24, 2010
Weather: Rainy
Temperature: 40 F (4 C)

Oh my, it's been a while since I wrote last.

Winter break was really busy! I was doing something every week.

The first week was Christmas. It was fun. I got some computer software, some CDs, and some flashcards and a poster for studying Japanese.

The second week was New Year's. I spend it with Erik, my boyfriend. We had lots of fun, but it was cold and snowy!

The third week was my sister's wedding. Congratulations, Adam and Kate!
Do you want to see pictures of the wedding? You can find them if you click on this link.

The fourth week, I took a test. It wasn't even for school! It was a certification exam for Microsoft Office Word 2007. I studied very hard, and I passed.

Now, I'm back in school. For three weeks, I had two jobs! I was working with computers in one job, and also, I am a TA (Teachers Assistant) for one of my professors from last semester.

I have three classes this semester. One of them is on English grammar. Another one is on English phonology. The third one is called "Hypermedia and Education." Basically, I am learning how to make a website! It's really fun.

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Happy Thanksgiving!

Friday, November 27, 2009

Weather: Cloudy

Temperature: 55 F (13 C)

This week was Thanksgiving in the United States. Thanksgiving is an important holiday, celebrated in America and Canada. On the fourth Thursday of November (in Canada, the second Monday in October), we get together with our families and friends to have a big feast, with Turkey and cranberries and pie, and many other things. Before the meal, we all "give thanks." That is, we tell everybody what we are thankful for.

This year, I can't make it home to be with my family, but I am thankful for the chance to study at the Teachers College, even though it is far away from home. I went to a friend's house to eat Thanksgiving dinner, and it was very delicious!

Why do we celebrate Thanksgiving? In 1619, there was a group of Europeans who came to America. The soil was different in America, so they could not make their European-style plants grow. In the winter, they almost died because there was no food. But a Native American named Tisquantum (American history books call him Squanto) taught the Europeans how to plant corn, and they survived. Thanksgiving is a day to remember Tisquantum and his kindness, and to remember other people and things that we are thankful for.

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I met an olympic athlete!

Thursday, November 12, 2009
Weather: Rainy
Temperature: 50 F (10 C)

Do you know who Isao Yoneda is? In 2004, the Japanese gymnastics team won the gold medal. Mr. Yoneda was the team's captain.

Last weekend, he came to the Teachers College, and I got to meet him! He came to visit FOJ, the Friends of Japan club. We asked him questions about the Olympics, and about his future plans to open gymnastics schools in Japan, America, and Canada. He was a little quiet, but very nice. He really loves gymnastics, and has lots of interest in coaching.

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Happy Halloween!

Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Weather: Sunny
Temperature: 61 F (11 C)

I saw something interesting on Saturday, which was Halloween. In New York City, children do trick-or-treating at stores in their neighborhood! In smaller American cities, children do trick-or-treating at houses in their neighborhood.

I was at a restaurant on Saturday evening, eating dinner, and some children in costumes came in. The cashier gave them some candy. I was very surprised! Maybe it's not safe for children to knock on neighbors' doors, or maybe it's just difficult to do trick-or-treating in a big apartment building with many apartments.

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Bear Mountain

Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Weather: Rainy
Temperature: 54 F (12 C)

I went hiking last Sunday. Bear Mountain is about 45 minutes from New York City by car. It was very beautiful! The hike was difficult, but the mountain was full of autumn leaves. The people who hiked with me were all former JET Participants, in a group called the JET Alumni Association of New York.

Do you know why I went hiking? It was my 27th birthday on Sunday. After hiking, I went to eat sushi with some friends from Teachers College. It was a long day, but it was really fun!

* * * * *

Have you heard of Wikipedia? It's an online encyclopedia. Anybody can write or edit an article. Wikipedia is written in many languages. One of the languages is called "Simple English." You can use the Simple English wiki to practice reading English. Can you find an article on your hometown? If you can't, maybe you should write one!

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Pennsylvania

Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Weather: Dark (it's 10pm!)
Temperature: 63 F (18 C)

Last weekend, I visited JET Brian in Allentown Pennsylvania. It was really fun!

I call him JET Brian because I am close to three Brians. JET Brian was in the same city as me in Japan. My brother is also Brian. And a good friend from college is named Brian. So, there is JET Brian, Brother Brian, and College Brian.

On Saturday, we went to a restaurant. A band was playing there. They were awesome! The drum solo moved me to tears. I had never cried because of live music before.

On Sunday, we visited Steve Tobin's studio. He is a great artist, and he makes many beautiful things. My favorite was the clay pizzas!

Pizza! Wait...are those cookies?? And uncooked rice...

These are really pretty too. They are made by using firecrackers on clay! The blue and green parts on the inside are made of glass.

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Japan in New York?

Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Weather: Sunny
Temperature: 66 F (19 C)

I have been in New York for almost 2 months now. You can find many things from many different cultures. For example, there is an Indian restaurant, an Italian restaurant, and an African restaurant across the street from my building.

There are many Japanese things here, too! You can find Japanese-style karaoke and restaurants. There is a Kinokuniya bookstore, and a Muji. In New Jersey (about a half hour by train from here), there is a Mitsuwa grocery store, with ramen restaurants and a little bookstore too! There is even a Book-Off. I was surprised and happy to find so many Japanese things in New York. Japan is farther away from New York than Minnesota, but Japanese culture seems very close.

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Long time no see!

Friday, October 9, 2009
Weather: rainy
Temperature: 70 F (21 C)

Hello everyone!

Wow, lots of things have happened since my last post. I'm sorry for waiting so long.

My sister is getting married! Congratulations to Kate and Adam. Yay!


Kate and Adam. Aren't they cute?

Now, I am in New York. The school year began on September 2nd. I love graduate school! There is lots of homework, but it's fun, because I love linguistics, and it's all linguistics homework.

I live in Upper West Manhattan. The Teachers College is small, but Columbia University is very big. I will be here for about two years, I think.


I live here, and go to school here! This is the Teachers College.

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Cocoa and Misty

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Weather: Cloudy

Temperature: 55 F (12 C)

I took a picture of my cats.  It turned out pretty good.  Actually, the cat in front is my sister's cat.  Her name is Misty.  She is grey and white, which looks like fog.  "Mist" in English, is very similar to fog.  

My cat's name is Cocoa.  She looks like hot chocolate!

Both of the cats are 12 years old.  Misty is bigger than Cocoa.  She is 12 pounds, or about 5.5 kilograms.  Cocoa is 9 pounds, or about 4 kilograms.  They usually get along very well, but Cocoa doesn't like it when Misty tries to take all the sunlight, or eat her food.

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I got a day job!

Monday, April 20th

Weather: rainy

Temperature: 46 F (7 C)

In September, when I go to grad school, I will need lots of money.  I don't have lots of money.  So, I have been searching for a day job since the beginning of April.  Finally, I found one!

Starting this weekend, I will work at Home Depot, which is a home center, like Homac in Japan.  It's a summer job.  I will be working in the garden center as a sales clerk.  It probably won't be as fun as working at the daycare, but at least hanging around plants all day will be good for my health!

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Recipe Corner: Banana Muffins

Thursday, April 16th

Weather: sunny

Temperature: 68 F (20 C)

Banana Muffins

Ingredients

2 medium-sized bananas

2 medium-sized eggs

1/4 c honey

1/4 c maple syrup

1/4 c applesauce

1/4 c canola oil

1/4 c milk

2 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

1 t vanilla extract

2 c all-purpose flour

Preparation

Mash the bananas.

Add all other ingredients, one at a time, and mix well.

Grease the bottoms of 12 muffin cups.

Divide the batter between the muffin cups.

Bake at 350 F (160 C) for about 12 minutes.

Use a knife around the sides to keep the muffins from sticking.

Cool for about 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

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I did it!

Monday, March 30th

Weather: Rainy

Temperature: 41 F (5 C)   Spring is here early this year!  Yay!

I got into Columbia University!

Beginning in September, I will begin attending graduate school at Columbia University.  That means I'm moving to New York City in 6 months.  Wow!  I am so excited, I can't believe it.  Yay for school!

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Happy Birthday, Dad!

Monday, February 23rd
Weather: Sunny
Temperature: 22 F (-5 C)

My dad's birthday was on February 17th.  He's 51 years old now.

Did you know my father was born in Japan?  He's not Japanese, though.  He was born in Naha, Okinawa.  My grandfather (Dad's father) was an army doctor.

Later, when he was in the navy, my father came to Japan.  And then, he came when I lived in Japan!  My father has been to Japan 7 times.


Me and Dad at the Shirakami Mountains last year

Dad is a pilot for Northwest Airlines.  Soon, Northwest will become Delta.  But my father will still be a pilot!

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