Try Again

I'm back from a one week trip in Hokkaido, will post about it once I've sorted the photos.

This song has been plaguing me for the past month at the greengrocer's, and the staff didn't know the name nor the singer, typical. But after some searching around, I've finally found it!

My song of the moment:


[Try Again by GILLE]

Life of Pi

Thought-provoking and absolutely magical. Stunningly beautiful visuals and captivating yet simple storytelling. I was positively amazed. Go and see it.

Turn It Around

My song of the moment:


[Turn It Around by Toploader]

Good Life

[Good Life by OneRepublic]

The weather's becoming colder, but it feels kind of refreshing to cycle in the mornings to work... after overcoming the difficult task of dragging myself out of my futon that is... especially if the previous night was an enkai (= drinking party). It's a few months late in coming, but it was a welcome enkai for the two new American ALTs that joined us this Autumn. We had sushi followed by ice-cream ;)

Earlier in the week, the new ALTs and I reserved a community kitchen and did some long-needed baking!! They made cookies and pizza whilst I baked up some olive focaccia for my lunchbox... and by the gods, it was yummy. There's nothing quite like freshly baked bread straight out of the oven! If only I had some soup with me at the time, dammit!

There's about a week left before Winter break starts, no major plans this time around. Just Hakone, perhaps a few days in Gunma, and we'll see what other short trips I can do.

Hollywood Tonight

[Hollywood Tonight by Micheal Jackson]

A song by MJ that was released earlier this year. Love Sofia Boutella (dancer in the vid). Her work philosophy, and how she approaches life in general is quite inspiring, to me anyway.

[to mother by YUI]

Stop Motion

I'm still alive, essays should be finished in a couple of weeks, I'll be all essay-free after April.

My application for JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme) is underway, just need to deliver some papers off, fingers-crossed I'll be offered an interview in January.

Below is a stop motion animation video, my partner and I made it in today's ICT class. It turned out well, it's the first time we ever used the software, with dried up plasticine to boot. Sorry it's not very clear, nor is the story line ;) Yes it's a limbness person, and yes that's a frog.

Mr Brain

[Episode 2: Part 1 out of 6]

Tsukumo Ryusuke is a quirky, yet brilliant neuroscientist working for the National Research Institute of Police Science. Wielding a unique perspective and psychology, Tsukumo tackles the nation's most baffling crimes and scandals, going head-to-head with the most brilliant and twisted criminal minds. But his eccentricities and poor social timing can also aggravate people and circumstances, further complicating matters. --TBS

Pretty interesting, though it definitely doesn't beat Sherlock Holmes ;) This is only the first 15 minutes of the second episode, but I thought special guest Gackt, who appears as Takegami Teijiro, played his part as a deranged murderer very well... a seriously freaky murderer.

Tone of Everyday

Song: 日々の音色 (Hibi no Neiro)
Music by: Sour
Cast: Fans by webcam

Thanks for the link Li!

Dolphin Kick

After seeing this swimming style done by the local swimming club, I really wanted to learn it. I started 'training' today, and managed to do the dolphin kick (without arms) for 10-metres before I ran out of breath. My speed was roughly 6 km/hour. A bit of a wrecked ship compared to Micheal Phelps, but I'll keep at it and hopefully eventually incorporate it into a butterfly.


[Video] So basically, I'm practicing what the swimmers were doing during the 4-5 seconds after they'd dived. I need to build up a higher lung capacity!

So basically in this shopping centre in China, NO DOGS ALLOWED, NO FARMERS ALLOWED, but families holding hands are encouraged.

Source

Music Prodigy

Micheal Jackson died? It's quite a shock. I love his music. He's a great dance performer. Has presence, even in an old blue shirt and ankle-length trousers with trademark white socks and black shoes. Another iconic person I grew up with has disappeared.

French Treble

Jean-Baptiste Maunier and Clemence singing 'Concerto Pour Deux Voix', and compared to Japanese rock, its much more easer on the ears, eh Ron? I love listening to treble singers. It's all wordless vocals, but it sounds eery and quite unearthly, almost ethereal. It's really breath-taking hearing how Maunier seemingly effortlessly sings the higher pitches of his vocal range, and how smoothly he changes key. Love it, even better than Aled Jones's 'Walking in the Air' cover song for The Snowman.

Also listening too...

Yeah, I seem to be swerving towards J-rock, it helps me to keep up the pace ;) Introducing 'Moment' by Tribal Chair.

Listening While I Type

Sorry, no PV. By a Japanese band called 'Pay Money To My Pain' who just sing English songs.

China's National Olympics Training

Here's a really interesting video about physical education in China: [click]

I personally would prefer to have the same PE schedule. I've no idea why compulsory education in the UK only timetables 1-2 PE sessions a week, and most of the time is wasted by getting changed. I remembered at one point in secondary school, with this happening and that happening, no sooner did we set out the field, get out the equipment, stretch and decide the teams, and play for 1/2 an hour, we had to go back in and get ready for the next class.

In the UK, for children over 3 in nurseries, they are unlikely to encounter the problems mentioned in the video i.e. individual attention and disciplined-type PE. As current legislation (the Early Years Foundation Stage - of which my entire year is devolted to) requires a ratio of one practitioner to 13 children, and recommends that in a day, there should (currently) be 20% adult-led/initiated activities.

(I'll go off about the 20% another time.)

Wolf among the Lambs

In the news this morning:

"A nursery worker in Plymouth has been charged with making, possessing and distributing indecent images of young children and sexual assault."

(Nursery World, 10 June 2009)

Shocking isn't it?There was someone on the loose in the nursery, working directly with the children and most likely assisted with bathroom duties, who easily committed such crimes. That person will definitely never step foot into a nursery again. The reputation of the nursery will also be affected, and parents will lose confidence in the staff.

In the UK, any person working in an early years setting must have completed an Enhanced CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) check, but it becomes pretty useful after checks have been made, don't you think?

Sleeping Street Child in Manila

I did a double-take at this photo of a child sleeping under a bridge while taking shelter from the rain.

Post pic: REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco @MSN

夜を驅ける by スピッツ

I came across this song a few years back, as the insert song for the anime 'Honey and Clover'. To me, Spitz songs have a calm, motivating Summer feel to them... よし! Let's get this job on the road!

Cadbureyes

Freaky, but funny... to me anyway.