Keeping in touch

The listening task in OC class yesterday was about Mari trying to use technology to stay in touch with her family. Of course one of the most popular ways of doing so these days is Facebook.

I have read that more than half of U.S. teenagers use social media sites (e.g. Facebook) daily- 22% visit them at least 10 times a day. Such sites are playing a significant role in children's social and emotional development. Researchers say that some children are suffering from "Facebook depression", or depression related to cyberbullying, sexting, and so on.

Actually, I don't use Facebook. I'm not interested in it because I don't need "friends" that I don't know or never meet. I prefer to keep in touch one to one. What do you think of Facebook?

Do you keep in touch with friends from elementary school (or others)? Who is your best friend? What do you like about them especially?

Marriage

Recently we talked about marriage in class, but you haven't had a chance to share your ideas with the whole class.

When English speakers talk about "Mister Right" or "Miss Right", they mean the one man or woman who is perfect for them as a partner in marriage. In the old days, many people believed there was just one perfect partner for them, but that idea is not so common anymore.

I think there are probably several people who could be ideal partners for you. The most important thing is timing. Are you both ready for marriage at the time you meet/ start dating? Of course you need to share common values etc, and find each other attractive, but that is not such a rare thing to find in others.

I met my wife on a flight from Bangkok to Osaka about 9 years ago. She was travelling with her friend (who had been my student several years before), so I talked with them for a while on the flight. We dated for 3 years before marrying in 2005.

For me, looks are not the most important thing. I think my wife looks nice (not beautiful). What I like about her is her character. I know I can always trust and believe her 100%. Also, she has common sense and is not shy about telling me her opinion, especially if I have a foolish idea/whim (I sometimes do). She's also independent (she has a job, and doesn't depend on me to entertain her all the time), and talkative, which means I don't feel pressure to always think of conversation topics.

Tell us about what kind of person you hope to marry, where, when, how etc.

What kind of person would be your ideal partner? When do you think you will feel ready to marry someone? What kind of wedding/ honeymoon would you like to have? Please respond in your next post.

Scary stuff!

It's only a couple of weeks until Halloween. Do you do anything for Halloween? It was never a big thing around where I grew up in Australia, although I've enjoyed Halloween parties in fancy dress as an adult with other foreigners and Japanese in Japan. We all see a lot about American activities on that night in movies, but celebrating the night goes back many centuries, at least 800 years, to Britain. It was a prelude to All Souls Day, when people prayed for/respected the memory of their dead relatives (something like O-bon).

Anyway, for your next blog post, please write something with a scary theme, for example something scary that happened to you or that you were told. Another idea would be to write about any fears you have. What are you not afraid of now that you used to be afraid of when you were younger? What are you afraid of now that you were not afraid of when you were younger? How do you overcome your fears? etc.

I've sometimes felt scared in airplanes at night when flying through violent storms, with the plane rocking around in the turbulance. My worst moment was when climbing on a mountain and for a short time being in a unexpected position where if I'd slipped I would have fallen hundreds of meters down to the ground.

1st essay (400-500 words)

Compare and contrast one of the following:

* Yourself and someone you know
* High school life and university life
* Two jobs you are interested in

Outline due 10/14
Body paragraphs due 10/21
First draft due 10/28
Final draft due 11/18

My favorite season

Visitors to Japan are sometimes surprised or amused to hear Japanese say "I love Japan because we have four seasons!!". Most countries in the world have four seasons. Probably what people mean to say is "Japan's seasons are so distinct!", which I think is true. It's easy to notice the day when one season ends and the next begins.

Australians of European origin living in northern Australia tend to say that they have two seasons (wet and dry), because it's never cold. On the other hand, aborigines living in the northern countryside say they recognize 7 seasons, based on subtle changes in nature! It reminds me that seasons are a matter of human perception.

Anyway, spring is my favorite season, for several reasons. First of all, I hate winter (because it's cold and everyone gets sick), so it feels great when the days start to get warmer. It's even enjoyable to watch the weather report on TV and hear that the next day will be one degree warmer, and maybe the day after that will be another one or two degrees warmer.

I think our moods are affected by the weather, because winter is the time I'm most likely to feel negative or gloomy, whereas in spring I tend to feel optimistic and enthusiastic about things. As I enjoy going to temples or places in the countryside, or spending time in my own garden, spring is also a good season for seeing various flowers, including cherry blossoms, rhododendrons (tsutsuji), and hydrangeas (ajisai).