I'm lazy. Yes, I am. I cannot keep my promise that I keep updating this blog as every day as possible. But I'll try it as "often" as possible for my record.
Yesterday, I had my private student. She herself is a piano teacher in her community. I met her at the church where I teach the church choir. She is one of the organist there. She is getting a piano-teacher grading test next month. She is coming to my place to train her piano technique, sight-reading skills both for singing and piano-playing. Her questions to me are always inspiring. She is not only a good player but also a wonderful mother, a good Christian and most importantly, a wonderful human being. I'm glad God made us meet and let us become good friends!
When we realized we just kept going for three hours yesterday and exhausted wonderfully!
I'm sure she will pass the exam and step up to the next level!
Today, I had a vocal student in the morning. She bought a new PC and is going to attend a class where she learns how to use the PC and go to the Internet. She asked us to set up the PC so came back to our place in the evening. After setting up the PC, we helped her to get a gmail account and taught her how to go to the Internet briefly. Although she is in her 70's, she is so smart that she learned it really quickly! We had a good time together.
After she left, we enjoyed watching the World Figure Skating competition on TV. Today was Men's short program. I was so impressed not only by the Japanese skaters but also the Canadian skater, Patrick Chan. He was just amazing!
Time flies. It's already midnight. Tomorrow, I'll have another piano student and then we are having the "Golden Week" holidays. Takao won't have to work for the consecutive ten days. We are planning to makeover our piano room during the week.
That's all for today.
Good night from Osaka, Japan!
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Eel dinner with my mother
Yesterday, I had a vocal student in the morning and the Monday choir in the afternoon.
I join them as a rehearsal pianist (I was told to accompany for the concert but I hesitated so offered to help them just for the rehearsals) and also as a trainer when they do sectionals.
At the end of the rehearsal, two members approached me to say "I love your sectional! You tell us how to sing, how to use our body, how the melody goes, how the rhythms are shaped, everything is very clear and easy to follow. Many of us recorded your sectionals and listen to it again and again! Thank you for your help!" How wonderful to hear this kind comment! I was so glad!
After that, I went to Uehonmachi station to meet my mother. She wanted to know how uncle Osamu's funeral went. We chatted for an hour till Takao joined us for dinner.
We enjoyed eel meal for dinner. I guess having eels are rare in western countries, right?
People eat eels when they need energy. We were very much energized!
I join them as a rehearsal pianist (I was told to accompany for the concert but I hesitated so offered to help them just for the rehearsals) and also as a trainer when they do sectionals.
At the end of the rehearsal, two members approached me to say "I love your sectional! You tell us how to sing, how to use our body, how the melody goes, how the rhythms are shaped, everything is very clear and easy to follow. Many of us recorded your sectionals and listen to it again and again! Thank you for your help!" How wonderful to hear this kind comment! I was so glad!
After that, I went to Uehonmachi station to meet my mother. She wanted to know how uncle Osamu's funeral went. We chatted for an hour till Takao joined us for dinner.
We enjoyed eel meal for dinner. I guess having eels are rare in western countries, right?
People eat eels when they need energy. We were very much energized!
Monday, April 25, 2011
Happy Easter!
We attended the Easter service at Hiraoka church yesterday.
The choir, which I've been teaching once every two months since a few years ago, offered three Hymns during the service and one Hymn during the love feast (Easter celebration luncheon party). The members sang beautifully. We had a good time.
I saw one of my private student there and we sang next to each other at the service. She is getting married soon. Her soon-to-be husband was there, too! She had been hoping to find a good partner for a long time so I was so glad to see their happy faces! We are invited for their wedding ceremony being held at a hotel chapel in an island in July. Very much looking forward to it!
The choir, which I've been teaching once every two months since a few years ago, offered three Hymns during the service and one Hymn during the love feast (Easter celebration luncheon party). The members sang beautifully. We had a good time.
I saw one of my private student there and we sang next to each other at the service. She is getting married soon. Her soon-to-be husband was there, too! She had been hoping to find a good partner for a long time so I was so glad to see their happy faces! We are invited for their wedding ceremony being held at a hotel chapel in an island in July. Very much looking forward to it!
Sunday, April 24, 2011
good family reunion by my "brother", Osamu
I was both mentally and physically hard. Not only because of having to face the death but also having to deal with complicated relationships. It was tough. really. Still, I was so glad to see my relatives. Some used-to-be-kids became wonderful grown-ups and worked beautifully at the funeral. I was so amazed and impressed to see the three children, 33, 28, and 22 of my "brother" supported their mother and played important roles by helping each other. I could see how the family relationships was great by seeing them.
Now I'm short of sleep and feel muscle ache after the two days of running around to look for needed things from a shop to another, taking a person from this place to another, organizing things, people, trying to be calm, trying to be helpful, trying to be accessible, trying and trying.
I realize now that I had no time to feel sad because it was all of a sudden. Even when I saw my "brother"'s dead face I could not believe he was dead. His lips were shaped like he was smiling. He looked as if he started to speak any moment.
Then when I was among the 6 people who carried his casket, I felt the weight of the dead human body. Then when I saw his bones after being cremated, I finally realized he was dead and disappeared in this earth as an real-life figure, became a spirit.
I was told that he died when he was sleeping. He must not have had any pain. He was found dead in the morning by his daughter. Many of the relatives said it was a kind of an ideal way of passing away, no pain, no hospitalization. I agree with this perspectives except the family was not ready to say good bye to their loving father or husband. It'll take so much time for them to accept this.
I felt glad when his children told me that they were glad to see me again and glad to be able to build up our loving relationship from now on. They are really lovely. I love them a lot and I will love them as I loved my "brother".
After the hectic two days, I got home at midnight last night.
Today, I had two piano student and recorded a song with my piano accompaniment and singing voices by the students, their mother (used to be my voice student and currently an elementally school teacher) and Takao. This recording will be used as a karaoke for the mother's students at school. The singing time was lovely and healed my exhausted spirit.
Tomorrow will be Easter!
Happy holidays, everyone!
Good night from Osaka, Japan!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
No more funeral please....
I attended a funeral last Saturday and put away the mourning dress right after getting home. Usually I'm lazier so I'd leave it hanging on the wall for a few days then would put it away to the wardrobe but this time I did it right away. Then I need it again now...
This morning, when I was having a piano lesson with my private student, the phone rang and it was my "aunt". She said her younger brother, my "uncle" had passed away early in the morning.
I put quotation marks with "aunt" and "uncle" because they are not real aunt and uncle.
My mother became an orphan when she was small. Her parents disappeared somehow and she was adopted to a relative family, I believe it was her distant uncle's family or something. The family members were the father, the mother, the elder daughter and the younger brother. She took care of the children when she was early teenager and left them at the age of 15 or 16 to the Osaka city center. After she got divorced with my father, she couldn't raise me up because of her job and perhaps for my health reason (I had delicate lungs because, my mother told me, she took me to the lung tuberculosis hospital when I was a baby, where my father was hospitalized.) She asked an elderly lady to take care of me for a few years. I was raised up by this lady at the age of 1-3 in Kochi prefecture, Shikoku Island.
Then my mother asked her adopted family to take care of me. So I moved to the family when I was three and lived with them until I got 10 or so after the mother and the father both passed away in six months. I called the son "my brother" who was 12 years older than me and the daughter "my sister" who was 16 years older than me. I called the father "my grandfather, and the mother "my grandmother".
The life with them was not so sweet. The father was in bed all the time due to the after effect of stroke. He needed to be cared all the time. The mother was suffering asthma so cannot go out for grocery shopping.. The children just started to work when I was there and they were in the negative period so came home late and barely were at home. It was my role to do grocery shopping in the mornings and evenings, to go to the doctor to receive the medicine for the mother. I actually enjoyed the roles as a calculation game or something.
They were my family then. All of them were important for me.
After the daughter got married, I often visited their new apartment and took care of their children like my younger brother and sister, fed milk to the babies and played with them.
The son lived with my mother and me for a few years and then had some trouble with my mother and left home.
As I got older, I became away from them more and more because of several reasons...... family troubles, religious troubles, money... perhaps. There are ups and downs with every life and some times it hinder you to keep in touch with each other.
More then 5-6 years passed since I last talked with the daughter, "my sister" this morning and the message she brought was so sad. The son, "my brother", passed away. He was only 60 years old and was so fine till last night. He had dinner with his family and then didn't got up this morning. His family found him dead in the bed. So sad....
I need my funeral dress again, so soon. It'll be held in Wakayama, 2-3 hours train trip from here.
God, please give comfort to the family.
How unpredictable a life is.
OK I have to keep my energy for tomorrow.
Good night from Osaka, Japan.
This morning, when I was having a piano lesson with my private student, the phone rang and it was my "aunt". She said her younger brother, my "uncle" had passed away early in the morning.
I put quotation marks with "aunt" and "uncle" because they are not real aunt and uncle.
My mother became an orphan when she was small. Her parents disappeared somehow and she was adopted to a relative family, I believe it was her distant uncle's family or something. The family members were the father, the mother, the elder daughter and the younger brother. She took care of the children when she was early teenager and left them at the age of 15 or 16 to the Osaka city center. After she got divorced with my father, she couldn't raise me up because of her job and perhaps for my health reason (I had delicate lungs because, my mother told me, she took me to the lung tuberculosis hospital when I was a baby, where my father was hospitalized.) She asked an elderly lady to take care of me for a few years. I was raised up by this lady at the age of 1-3 in Kochi prefecture, Shikoku Island.
Then my mother asked her adopted family to take care of me. So I moved to the family when I was three and lived with them until I got 10 or so after the mother and the father both passed away in six months. I called the son "my brother" who was 12 years older than me and the daughter "my sister" who was 16 years older than me. I called the father "my grandfather, and the mother "my grandmother".
The life with them was not so sweet. The father was in bed all the time due to the after effect of stroke. He needed to be cared all the time. The mother was suffering asthma so cannot go out for grocery shopping.. The children just started to work when I was there and they were in the negative period so came home late and barely were at home. It was my role to do grocery shopping in the mornings and evenings, to go to the doctor to receive the medicine for the mother. I actually enjoyed the roles as a calculation game or something.
They were my family then. All of them were important for me.
After the daughter got married, I often visited their new apartment and took care of their children like my younger brother and sister, fed milk to the babies and played with them.
The son lived with my mother and me for a few years and then had some trouble with my mother and left home.
As I got older, I became away from them more and more because of several reasons...... family troubles, religious troubles, money... perhaps. There are ups and downs with every life and some times it hinder you to keep in touch with each other.
More then 5-6 years passed since I last talked with the daughter, "my sister" this morning and the message she brought was so sad. The son, "my brother", passed away. He was only 60 years old and was so fine till last night. He had dinner with his family and then didn't got up this morning. His family found him dead in the bed. So sad....
I need my funeral dress again, so soon. It'll be held in Wakayama, 2-3 hours train trip from here.
God, please give comfort to the family.
How unpredictable a life is.
OK I have to keep my energy for tomorrow.
Good night from Osaka, Japan.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
had a good time with my piano lesson
My day often start with this, yes, practice!!
I practiced the piano for three hours this morning, had lunch quickly, then headed to my teacher's place. I restarted my piano lesson last December. I met my teacher about 17 years ago and had lessons with her for the next two years or so and stopped seeing her. This time, we've become not only a teacher and a student, but like good friends with the same interests. Sometimes she talks about her grandchildren, who are elementary students. Both of them are so talented with music but don't like practice. She is worried and cares about them but they don't like to be cared. I understand, I'd often say. I used to hate practice, really hated it! I didn't like to see my piano teacher when I was 6-7 years old then stopped the lesson with her. I almost hated her not because of her personality but because she was a piano teacher. Then as I got older, inspired by several occasions or people, I realized how happy I am to be able to do music, to be able to learn the beauty of music, to be able to explore the true meaning of the piece I play. The more I get interested in the piece, the more I want to improve my technique and my knowledge..... So I would say to my teacher, "Don't worry! I'm sure they will be appreciated with the beauty of the music some day and spontaneously, will become to want to improve their music ability then! Now they are just in the age of resistance, that's it!"
Her suggestions to my piano are always challenging. Speed, powerfulness, deep sound, nonstop once started, good balance between the melody and the backing part. After getting her suggestions, I do my best to improve my piano for the next two weeks till I see her next time.
Now I'm mainly working on the first mov of Schumann's Sonate No2 for the school's student recital which will be held in mid July. Supplementary materials are Czerny 50s and Bach pieces. Every piece is challenging for me after not having any piano lesson for the past 15 years. Takes hours and hours to be better. But nowadays, I feel much more comfortable to play the pieces compare to the time I restarted lessons last December. I'm so glad I decided to do this again!
Music building work is so sacred and I love the time when I polish the pieces by myself and then bring it to my teacher to share the result of the two week work. Sometimes I fail to improve myself, then try harder for the next days. It's because of my teacher I can try hard. If you don't have anyone who listen to your improvement, you would lose your motivation.
In the end of today's lesson, my teacher told me that..... I might be the last player at the student recital, which means, I guess, I'm doing good with the Schumann so far.
The biggest problem for me right now is I have to memorize the piece till the performance day! When I accompany with a choir, it's OK to see music but for the solo performance I'd better not see the music, I agree. But I haven't done that for a long time, playing from memory.... It seems impossible for me for now, but I have to overcome this difficulty, I want to do it. Again, life is short, you should try anything you can enjoy your life, this is it, I think.
When I can make it, I think and I hope, I be a better piano teacher for my loving students!
Oh before I forget, our Tigers won by walk-off victory tonight! The players of the day was Ryota Arai who newly joined the team this season. We were so glad to see the new family made the team win!
Good night from Osaka, Japan!
I practiced the piano for three hours this morning, had lunch quickly, then headed to my teacher's place. I restarted my piano lesson last December. I met my teacher about 17 years ago and had lessons with her for the next two years or so and stopped seeing her. This time, we've become not only a teacher and a student, but like good friends with the same interests. Sometimes she talks about her grandchildren, who are elementary students. Both of them are so talented with music but don't like practice. She is worried and cares about them but they don't like to be cared. I understand, I'd often say. I used to hate practice, really hated it! I didn't like to see my piano teacher when I was 6-7 years old then stopped the lesson with her. I almost hated her not because of her personality but because she was a piano teacher. Then as I got older, inspired by several occasions or people, I realized how happy I am to be able to do music, to be able to learn the beauty of music, to be able to explore the true meaning of the piece I play. The more I get interested in the piece, the more I want to improve my technique and my knowledge..... So I would say to my teacher, "Don't worry! I'm sure they will be appreciated with the beauty of the music some day and spontaneously, will become to want to improve their music ability then! Now they are just in the age of resistance, that's it!"
Her suggestions to my piano are always challenging. Speed, powerfulness, deep sound, nonstop once started, good balance between the melody and the backing part. After getting her suggestions, I do my best to improve my piano for the next two weeks till I see her next time.
Now I'm mainly working on the first mov of Schumann's Sonate No2 for the school's student recital which will be held in mid July. Supplementary materials are Czerny 50s and Bach pieces. Every piece is challenging for me after not having any piano lesson for the past 15 years. Takes hours and hours to be better. But nowadays, I feel much more comfortable to play the pieces compare to the time I restarted lessons last December. I'm so glad I decided to do this again!
Music building work is so sacred and I love the time when I polish the pieces by myself and then bring it to my teacher to share the result of the two week work. Sometimes I fail to improve myself, then try harder for the next days. It's because of my teacher I can try hard. If you don't have anyone who listen to your improvement, you would lose your motivation.
In the end of today's lesson, my teacher told me that..... I might be the last player at the student recital, which means, I guess, I'm doing good with the Schumann so far.
The biggest problem for me right now is I have to memorize the piece till the performance day! When I accompany with a choir, it's OK to see music but for the solo performance I'd better not see the music, I agree. But I haven't done that for a long time, playing from memory.... It seems impossible for me for now, but I have to overcome this difficulty, I want to do it. Again, life is short, you should try anything you can enjoy your life, this is it, I think.
When I can make it, I think and I hope, I be a better piano teacher for my loving students!
Oh before I forget, our Tigers won by walk-off victory tonight! The players of the day was Ryota Arai who newly joined the team this season. We were so glad to see the new family made the team win!
Good night from Osaka, Japan!
Monday, April 18, 2011
nice meeting an amusing lady!
Practiced the piano in the morning for both my private lesson tomorrow and another choir's repertoire where I'm joining as a pianist, then made a ham and veggie sandwich for lunch.
On Monday afternoons, I'm a pianist for another choir where my friend is a director. The choir is holding a ten-year-anniversary concert in June so they are working very hard on that. Last week they decided which earrings to wear, this week the board members brought several blouse candidates. This will be their first formal recital so they want to wear same outfits for the occasion. Personally, I don't like all choir members wearing some uniform for a concert but this is so popular here in Japan especially among lady's choirs. For example, if a choir's concert has four stages, they might wear four different outfits, like a fashion show! Amazing!
Anyway, we had a good rehearsal.
Today's main topic came after this.
After the rehearsal, I said good-bye to them and went out to the street alone. When I was crossing at the crosswalk, I saw two elderly women had the same trouble. The street was not only for cars but also for trams. So it was bumpy due to the tram rails. The two ladies had difficulty to put their walk-assistance push pulley forward, they were stuck then the light was going to turn red. I naturally approached first one of them and helped her cross the street, then went to another lady.
Two ladies said thank-you to me with smile and I thought it was the end of the story but was not!
Then the first woman asked me where is the subway station and she wanted to go to Senri station by it. Actually I was quite surprised to hear that because the woman seemed so weak. She could barely walk even with the push pulley. Her back was bent over. Even the sound of her breath was weak. I anyway told her the direction to the station but very worried about if she could get there by herself. Currently a big construction is going on around the station so the sidewalk to there was so bumpy also and I didn't know if she could get the elevator or the escalator to the subway station underground.
So when I realized I was saying to her, "OK I'll go with you! I'm not in hurry. I have time!"
Then our journey to the station started. Usually, if I'm alone it should be only 10-minute walk but this time it took us more than half an hour to get there. I put my left hand on her pulley to make it stable on the bumpy street. She had to stop every two minutes or so to recover her breath. Then after 10 minutes she couldn't recover just by stopping so I offered a suggestion that we could sit down on a metal pole beside the street which protected the roadside trees. Then after drinking some water and had a rest, we again started to walk. Till we got to the station, we became good friends as you can imagine, my friends!
We enjoyed chatting while sitting down and walking. She apologized me again and again that she troubled me. Then I said it was OK with me! Our conversation went like this!
She: You must be in a hurry!. I'm so sorry to trouble you!
I: Never mind! I have time. That's OK.
She: I used to live here 50 years ago. This neighborhood changed a lot!
I: I used to go to a college just closed to here. I know it's been changed a lot!
She: Why you are so kind to me? You really are very kind. I don't know how to express my greatefulness to you!
I: You know, I was raised up by elderly people till I got 10 years old so I love talking with senior people. I'm enjoying now!
She: Where are you from?
I: I'm from Higashiosaka city.
She: Oh so far away! (it was in Osaka city where I met her)
I: Not at all, just 30 minute train ride! Listen I also direct a senior choir in my community. I love music. Today I'm on my way home from another choir rehearsal.
She: Oh really? I love music, too! what you sang today?
I: We sang what called red and white flower song. Do you know? (I sang it to her)
She: My favorite music is the Requiem by Faure! (here, I was quite surprised that she is such a classic music lover!)
I: Oh, I love the Faure's Requiem so much, too! I sang it before (then I sang "Requiem eternam" to her) and also I once played the organ part for the music!
She: I was wondering that you must be a good singer because even your speaking voice is like singing bird! My another favorite is Bach!!
I: wow!!! I love Bach, too! I've sung several Cantatas and also John Passion!
She: You are very nice, thank you so much!
I: Never mind! I enjoyed chatting with you. And listen we are all the same. I also am going to be helped by others when I get older. So everything is going around. You just accept my help and I'll get another help by another person, right?
She: right! Thank you! I'm sure something good is going to happen to you!
I: That's very nice to hear! I'll be so happy if something good happens to me! That'd be because of you! Thank you in advance!
Then we got to the station finally and said good bye.
I didn't introduce myself and she didn't either but I have a feeling that we would see each other again! It was a wonderful meeting and that made me smile all evening!
Tomorrow will be my piano lesson day. Go for it!
Good night from Osaka, Japan!
On Monday afternoons, I'm a pianist for another choir where my friend is a director. The choir is holding a ten-year-anniversary concert in June so they are working very hard on that. Last week they decided which earrings to wear, this week the board members brought several blouse candidates. This will be their first formal recital so they want to wear same outfits for the occasion. Personally, I don't like all choir members wearing some uniform for a concert but this is so popular here in Japan especially among lady's choirs. For example, if a choir's concert has four stages, they might wear four different outfits, like a fashion show! Amazing!
Anyway, we had a good rehearsal.
Today's main topic came after this.
After the rehearsal, I said good-bye to them and went out to the street alone. When I was crossing at the crosswalk, I saw two elderly women had the same trouble. The street was not only for cars but also for trams. So it was bumpy due to the tram rails. The two ladies had difficulty to put their walk-assistance push pulley forward, they were stuck then the light was going to turn red. I naturally approached first one of them and helped her cross the street, then went to another lady.
Two ladies said thank-you to me with smile and I thought it was the end of the story but was not!
Then the first woman asked me where is the subway station and she wanted to go to Senri station by it. Actually I was quite surprised to hear that because the woman seemed so weak. She could barely walk even with the push pulley. Her back was bent over. Even the sound of her breath was weak. I anyway told her the direction to the station but very worried about if she could get there by herself. Currently a big construction is going on around the station so the sidewalk to there was so bumpy also and I didn't know if she could get the elevator or the escalator to the subway station underground.
So when I realized I was saying to her, "OK I'll go with you! I'm not in hurry. I have time!"
Then our journey to the station started. Usually, if I'm alone it should be only 10-minute walk but this time it took us more than half an hour to get there. I put my left hand on her pulley to make it stable on the bumpy street. She had to stop every two minutes or so to recover her breath. Then after 10 minutes she couldn't recover just by stopping so I offered a suggestion that we could sit down on a metal pole beside the street which protected the roadside trees. Then after drinking some water and had a rest, we again started to walk. Till we got to the station, we became good friends as you can imagine, my friends!
We enjoyed chatting while sitting down and walking. She apologized me again and again that she troubled me. Then I said it was OK with me! Our conversation went like this!
She: You must be in a hurry!. I'm so sorry to trouble you!
I: Never mind! I have time. That's OK.
She: I used to live here 50 years ago. This neighborhood changed a lot!
I: I used to go to a college just closed to here. I know it's been changed a lot!
She: Why you are so kind to me? You really are very kind. I don't know how to express my greatefulness to you!
I: You know, I was raised up by elderly people till I got 10 years old so I love talking with senior people. I'm enjoying now!
She: Where are you from?
I: I'm from Higashiosaka city.
She: Oh so far away! (it was in Osaka city where I met her)
I: Not at all, just 30 minute train ride! Listen I also direct a senior choir in my community. I love music. Today I'm on my way home from another choir rehearsal.
She: Oh really? I love music, too! what you sang today?
I: We sang what called red and white flower song. Do you know? (I sang it to her)
She: My favorite music is the Requiem by Faure! (here, I was quite surprised that she is such a classic music lover!)
I: Oh, I love the Faure's Requiem so much, too! I sang it before (then I sang "Requiem eternam" to her) and also I once played the organ part for the music!
She: I was wondering that you must be a good singer because even your speaking voice is like singing bird! My another favorite is Bach!!
I: wow!!! I love Bach, too! I've sung several Cantatas and also John Passion!
She: You are very nice, thank you so much!
I: Never mind! I enjoyed chatting with you. And listen we are all the same. I also am going to be helped by others when I get older. So everything is going around. You just accept my help and I'll get another help by another person, right?
She: right! Thank you! I'm sure something good is going to happen to you!
I: That's very nice to hear! I'll be so happy if something good happens to me! That'd be because of you! Thank you in advance!
Then we got to the station finally and said good bye.
I didn't introduce myself and she didn't either but I have a feeling that we would see each other again! It was a wonderful meeting and that made me smile all evening!
Tomorrow will be my piano lesson day. Go for it!
Good night from Osaka, Japan!
Baseball day! Thank you, Rakuten Golden Eagles!
Yahoo! We made it! The weather was perfect for baseball watching, thank God! The staff of both Rakuten Eagles and Koshien stadium were so kind and friendly that they gave us good place tickets for my friend with weak leg and back, let us use the elevator, led us to the seats with warm welcome atmosphere.
We had gotten there an hour earlier than the game started so we could enjoy everything, watching warming ups, eating Rakuten original Bento boxes! .
Here are the Bento boxes!
These are only sold at the home stadium so usually you can buy them only at the K-sta Miyagi stadium in Sendai city, so special!
We enjoyed them very much!
My friend, Fumiko, and I with big smiles!
We not only enjoyed the baseball game but also enjoyed talking. Between the innings, she told us about her baseball-related memories. She used to go to the ballpark often with her recent passed away younger sister and the son. They wen to not only professional baseball games but also to the high school baseball tournament at the Koshien stadium a lot. She said it was more than 25 years ago she was at the Koshien stadium before. She told us about her favorite players now and then..... We shared our love for baseball during the game.
The atmosphere was great! The number of both sides' fans, Buffaloes and Eagles, was almost the same. So when one team scored the fan made happy cry, and another team's fans made "oh-no" cry.... The voice sounded under the big roof, called "Ginsan", so beautifully. It was well balanced. Both fans really enjoyed cheering for their favorite teams!
When I first asked her to go there, she said "I feel reluctant to be there because there'll be a lot of steps, slopes which might hurt my legs and back, also I can only walk slowly so I'll trouble you with the crowd. But after the game she said, "I really happy to be here! I'm glad you asked me to come here. Thank you so much! I don't feel pain or tired, nothing! I feel so happy, that's it! I might want to come back here again after being touched by the wonderful hospitality by the staff. So impressed!"
We had a perfect day. Thank you, everyone of the people who let us made it possible!!
We had gotten there an hour earlier than the game started so we could enjoy everything, watching warming ups, eating Rakuten original Bento boxes! .
These are only sold at the home stadium so usually you can buy them only at the K-sta Miyagi stadium in Sendai city, so special!
We enjoyed them very much!
We not only enjoyed the baseball game but also enjoyed talking. Between the innings, she told us about her baseball-related memories. She used to go to the ballpark often with her recent passed away younger sister and the son. They wen to not only professional baseball games but also to the high school baseball tournament at the Koshien stadium a lot. She said it was more than 25 years ago she was at the Koshien stadium before. She told us about her favorite players now and then..... We shared our love for baseball during the game.
When I first asked her to go there, she said "I feel reluctant to be there because there'll be a lot of steps, slopes which might hurt my legs and back, also I can only walk slowly so I'll trouble you with the crowd. But after the game she said, "I really happy to be here! I'm glad you asked me to come here. Thank you so much! I don't feel pain or tired, nothing! I feel so happy, that's it! I might want to come back here again after being touched by the wonderful hospitality by the staff. So impressed!"
We had a perfect day. Thank you, everyone of the people who let us made it possible!!
Sunday, April 17, 2011
peace and happiness
Practiced the piano for an hour in the morning then prepared for the funeral, what to wear (black one-piece or suits is common here), what to bring (we usually offer condolence money for a funeral).
The funeral was so peaceful. There were so many people gathering to send her to the heaven. We saw 5-6 members of our senior choir. We had a good time there.
After coming home, I practiced the piano one more hour then headed to Kobe to bring some wedding things to our friend, Saori. She has been our friend for nearly twenty years. We met her at an off-line meeting of a classic music circle on the personal computer communication by Nifty-Serve. At that time the Internet was not available. We used a modem and a phone line to get to the PC communication network, no picture or video but only text communication was available there. We met many music-lovers on the net and became good friends. Saori is one of the best friends we met there.
She is getting married next month! We feel so happy for her that she found her best partner eventually!
She wants to wear "something four" in her wedding:
Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed and Something Blue.
She asked us for the "something borrowed" part because, she said, she wanted to be like us, as a good couple! So we brought my wedding bouquet to lend it to her. We had dinner together as we watched Tigers' baseball game, of course (she is also a big fan of Tigers!).
Her wedding ceremony is just in almost three weeks. We really look forward to seeing her in the beautiful white dress!!! Cannot wait!
The funeral was so peaceful. There were so many people gathering to send her to the heaven. We saw 5-6 members of our senior choir. We had a good time there.
After coming home, I practiced the piano one more hour then headed to Kobe to bring some wedding things to our friend, Saori. She has been our friend for nearly twenty years. We met her at an off-line meeting of a classic music circle on the personal computer communication by Nifty-Serve. At that time the Internet was not available. We used a modem and a phone line to get to the PC communication network, no picture or video but only text communication was available there. We met many music-lovers on the net and became good friends. Saori is one of the best friends we met there.
She is getting married next month! We feel so happy for her that she found her best partner eventually!
She wants to wear "something four" in her wedding:
Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed and Something Blue.
She asked us for the "something borrowed" part because, she said, she wanted to be like us, as a good couple! So we brought my wedding bouquet to lend it to her. We had dinner together as we watched Tigers' baseball game, of course (she is also a big fan of Tigers!).
Her wedding ceremony is just in almost three weeks. We really look forward to seeing her in the beautiful white dress!!! Cannot wait!
Tomorrow will be a memorable day. Baseball watching with our long-time friend. Should be great fun!
Good night from Osaka, Japan!
Saturday, April 16, 2011
joy and sorrows
It was a hectic day today. And full of joy and sorrows.
In the morning, after doing some warming up for my voice then went to the senior choir rehearsal where I learned one of the members had passed away a few days ago. I really loved her. She was always cheerful and talented. It was she who did a quiz contest in a bus when the choir went out for a one-day trip. She played the piano and was able to read music quite well. She was married to Buddhist clergy so her wake and funeral service would be held at the temple, in other word, her own house. We offered a silent prayer for a minute and had rehearsal both to enjoy our own lives and also to sing for her.
Several members went to the wake tonight and told me quite many people attended.
After practice my piano for a two hours or so, Takao and I headed to the Koshien stadium to cheer for Rakuten Eagles, the Tohoke-based team which temporarily put their home in Kansai due to the earthquake. Today was their home-opening game.
During the game I contacted with a Rakuten staff. We got some invitation tickets for this Sunday game and wanted to take one of the senior choir members, in her 80's with weak legs & back so needs an assistance when going out, also who is our special friend and loves baseball so much. I had asked them if we could get a special seat for her. The staff was so kind and promised me that they can offer the special seat ticket for her! It's been my dream to go to the ballpark with her. She is a big fan of baseball but almost gives up being there because of her getting-weak-body. This Sunday will be so special for all of us! Now I remember the time when I invited Dynah to my choir concert in Manhattan. It's going to be similar, I guess. We will make the day memorable, yeah!
Life is unpredictable so we should enjoy our lives, right?
Oh before I forgot, Rakuten Eagles won tonight with the lead-off home run by Kazuo Matsui, a former MLB player. It was a great game. Especially when the two teams' cheer leaders exchanged yells, the Buffaloes' cheer leaders said "hurrah, hurrah Eagles!!!" and all other fans followed, then Eagles' cheer leader got "thank you, thank you, Buffaloes, then all other Eagles fans followed. It was really beautiful, and made me choked up!
Tomorrow we are going to attend the member's funeral service. I'm going to say to her not only good-bye but also thank-you for her big smile and cheerful personality.
Good night, from Osaka Japan!
In the morning, after doing some warming up for my voice then went to the senior choir rehearsal where I learned one of the members had passed away a few days ago. I really loved her. She was always cheerful and talented. It was she who did a quiz contest in a bus when the choir went out for a one-day trip. She played the piano and was able to read music quite well. She was married to Buddhist clergy so her wake and funeral service would be held at the temple, in other word, her own house. We offered a silent prayer for a minute and had rehearsal both to enjoy our own lives and also to sing for her.
Several members went to the wake tonight and told me quite many people attended.
After practice my piano for a two hours or so, Takao and I headed to the Koshien stadium to cheer for Rakuten Eagles, the Tohoke-based team which temporarily put their home in Kansai due to the earthquake. Today was their home-opening game.
During the game I contacted with a Rakuten staff. We got some invitation tickets for this Sunday game and wanted to take one of the senior choir members, in her 80's with weak legs & back so needs an assistance when going out, also who is our special friend and loves baseball so much. I had asked them if we could get a special seat for her. The staff was so kind and promised me that they can offer the special seat ticket for her! It's been my dream to go to the ballpark with her. She is a big fan of baseball but almost gives up being there because of her getting-weak-body. This Sunday will be so special for all of us! Now I remember the time when I invited Dynah to my choir concert in Manhattan. It's going to be similar, I guess. We will make the day memorable, yeah!
Life is unpredictable so we should enjoy our lives, right?
Oh before I forgot, Rakuten Eagles won tonight with the lead-off home run by Kazuo Matsui, a former MLB player. It was a great game. Especially when the two teams' cheer leaders exchanged yells, the Buffaloes' cheer leaders said "hurrah, hurrah Eagles!!!" and all other fans followed, then Eagles' cheer leader got "thank you, thank you, Buffaloes, then all other Eagles fans followed. It was really beautiful, and made me choked up!
Tomorrow we are going to attend the member's funeral service. I'm going to say to her not only good-bye but also thank-you for her big smile and cheerful personality.
Good night, from Osaka Japan!
Friday, April 15, 2011
two private student and worked on transposition
Our Tigers finally lost tonight. It couldn't help. You cannot win all games. Tomorrow will be the winning day!
I had two private student today, one for vocal in the morning who made a great progress, and another for the piano in the afternoon who became much happier in the end of the lesson and I was so glad to see that! The piano student was doomed when she came. She said, "I had an uncomfortable situation at the work place last month and then during those days, the earthquake occurred. As I watched the news coverage, my feeling got down and down and I couldn't thought of practicing the piano at all." I'd be more than a month since she last came over.
We just tried to have a good musical time. I explained how she could improve her piano by using which joint or which muscle, at the same time by relaxing which part of the body and so on. Her tone quality got better and better during the lesson. In the end she said, "I feel like I could be much better by practicing. And now I can think of practicing great fun because I know how to do it! I was right I came here today. Thank you for making me feel much happier!!"
I couldn't be happier to hear her comment!
In the evening, I finalized writing the transposed chorus music, and now have a stiff shoulder, naturally. OK I should go to bed now.
Good night from Osaka Japan!
I had two private student today, one for vocal in the morning who made a great progress, and another for the piano in the afternoon who became much happier in the end of the lesson and I was so glad to see that! The piano student was doomed when she came. She said, "I had an uncomfortable situation at the work place last month and then during those days, the earthquake occurred. As I watched the news coverage, my feeling got down and down and I couldn't thought of practicing the piano at all." I'd be more than a month since she last came over.
We just tried to have a good musical time. I explained how she could improve her piano by using which joint or which muscle, at the same time by relaxing which part of the body and so on. Her tone quality got better and better during the lesson. In the end she said, "I feel like I could be much better by practicing. And now I can think of practicing great fun because I know how to do it! I was right I came here today. Thank you for making me feel much happier!!"
I couldn't be happier to hear her comment!
In the evening, I finalized writing the transposed chorus music, and now have a stiff shoulder, naturally. OK I should go to bed now.
Good night from Osaka Japan!
Thursday, April 14, 2011
on a hot winning streak!
Just two, but they made important two consecutive victories tonight!
In the Japanese professional baseball, payer(s) of the game get interviewed after the game. We call it "Hero interview". Today, there were two heroes and both of them were from the US. Matt Murton is a center fielder and hit the go-ahead run. Jayson Standridge was a starter today and just lost 1 score and got two hits. Great pitch!
In the interview, they both mentioned how they wanted to encourage the people who are having a hard time due to the earthquake, tsunamis and the nuke plants problems by their best play. They said they don't only think about baseball right now but think more about the people up-north. They kept saying this. Again and again. It was impressive because some other foreign players decided to leave Japan after the earthquake. I'm sure Matt and Standridge, as well as other foreign players with Tigers, like Craig Brazell, needed to be brave to be here. They decided to remain here to play baseball, not in their country but in Japan. I respect their decision and love them a lot!
Actually, we bought another game's tickets.... for Friday night. It'll be Eagles vs. Buffaloes. The newly appointed manager of the Eagles, Ms. Hoshino, used to be with our Tigers and led us to the central league championship once in 2003, then he led Japan team for the Beijing Olympic games.
The Eagles is having a special season. Their home is in Sendai city. As you know, Sendai city is one of the most affected cities by the earthquake. Their home stadium was hit heavily. The public transportation is not fully available there. The power is not good enough to have the entertainments. So it must have been really difficult for them to decide but they decided to change their home stadium just for a while until things get normal at home. I think they still wanted to play in the Tohoku area but there was no good stadium in that area. Then, Mr. Hoshino's former team, Tigers, offered to let them play in the Koshien stadium and another ballpark in Kansai area as well.
I know they have many many wonderful fans up in Tohoku area and they cannot come to cheer up their favorite team for this season. But their hearts will be with the players.
Now we, as baseball fans living in Kansai area, feel that we should also cheer up the Eagles this season for the people of Tohoku.
Friday night will the first game for the Eagles at the temporary home stadium, Koshien.
We should go, we thought, because we love baseball!
This week has been a baseball week for us!
Oh for the record... I also had a good music time today.
A vocal private student in the morning made a good progress and I was so glad to hear her lovely voice! She is in her 70's but look like 50's! Very active and works so hard for others. She attends several people to go to the hospital, drives people to do grocery shopping, works as a volunteer at a community center.... I love to see and hear what she is doing. Very encouraging. I want to like her when I reach in my 70's!
I had another vocal student in the afternoon.
In between, I made a time for my practice for two hours. Not bad. I had some good discovery for my piano technique and was very happy about that! My Schumann Sonate No. 2 practice is going quite well, maybe not so excellent but gradually, I'm getting there!
After dinner, as we watched Tigers' game on TV, I worked on writing a transposed music for the choir. A lot of work....
OK, enough for today. Leave it for tomorrow.
Good night from Osaka, Japan!
In the Japanese professional baseball, payer(s) of the game get interviewed after the game. We call it "Hero interview". Today, there were two heroes and both of them were from the US. Matt Murton is a center fielder and hit the go-ahead run. Jayson Standridge was a starter today and just lost 1 score and got two hits. Great pitch!
In the interview, they both mentioned how they wanted to encourage the people who are having a hard time due to the earthquake, tsunamis and the nuke plants problems by their best play. They said they don't only think about baseball right now but think more about the people up-north. They kept saying this. Again and again. It was impressive because some other foreign players decided to leave Japan after the earthquake. I'm sure Matt and Standridge, as well as other foreign players with Tigers, like Craig Brazell, needed to be brave to be here. They decided to remain here to play baseball, not in their country but in Japan. I respect their decision and love them a lot!
Actually, we bought another game's tickets.... for Friday night. It'll be Eagles vs. Buffaloes. The newly appointed manager of the Eagles, Ms. Hoshino, used to be with our Tigers and led us to the central league championship once in 2003, then he led Japan team for the Beijing Olympic games.
The Eagles is having a special season. Their home is in Sendai city. As you know, Sendai city is one of the most affected cities by the earthquake. Their home stadium was hit heavily. The public transportation is not fully available there. The power is not good enough to have the entertainments. So it must have been really difficult for them to decide but they decided to change their home stadium just for a while until things get normal at home. I think they still wanted to play in the Tohoku area but there was no good stadium in that area. Then, Mr. Hoshino's former team, Tigers, offered to let them play in the Koshien stadium and another ballpark in Kansai area as well.
I know they have many many wonderful fans up in Tohoku area and they cannot come to cheer up their favorite team for this season. But their hearts will be with the players.
Now we, as baseball fans living in Kansai area, feel that we should also cheer up the Eagles this season for the people of Tohoku.
Friday night will the first game for the Eagles at the temporary home stadium, Koshien.
We should go, we thought, because we love baseball!
This week has been a baseball week for us!
Oh for the record... I also had a good music time today.
A vocal private student in the morning made a good progress and I was so glad to hear her lovely voice! She is in her 70's but look like 50's! Very active and works so hard for others. She attends several people to go to the hospital, drives people to do grocery shopping, works as a volunteer at a community center.... I love to see and hear what she is doing. Very encouraging. I want to like her when I reach in my 70's!
I had another vocal student in the afternoon.
In between, I made a time for my practice for two hours. Not bad. I had some good discovery for my piano technique and was very happy about that! My Schumann Sonate No. 2 practice is going quite well, maybe not so excellent but gradually, I'm getting there!
After dinner, as we watched Tigers' game on TV, I worked on writing a transposed music for the choir. A lot of work....
OK, enough for today. Leave it for tomorrow.
Good night from Osaka, Japan!
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
The opening game, Tigers vs. Carp
We had a great time at the Koshien Stadium!!
The baseball season finally started last night. It was supposed to be two weeks earlier, then the earthquake prevented them to go ahead. Every player and every fan thought it shouldn't be the time to do any entertainment so early after the tragedy It was really difficult to postpone the games. Players, owners, fans had different reasons and different perspectives.
We had a hard time and are having a hard time. Then I would love to say, I really love baseball! When all of our Tigers players ran out to the field and started to play catch at the beginning of the game, I was almost crying. Kanemoto was one of them. He injured his shoulder really hard last season and barely could play catch until recently. We could see how hard he did for the pre-season training. Not only him but all the players did their best at full power. It was really beautiful to see them play. Just beautiful and tearful.
There were 4 American fans sitting just in front of us. We chatted a bit and they told us that several friends of them left Japan due to the earthquake but they chose to remain here and came to the ball park for have fun. One from Atlanta, the home for Braves, another from Boston, home for Red Sox. I told them that we went to Baltimore last year to see the Orioles game. We had great fun together. At the moment Tigers won the game, all people sitting around us, exchanged high five with great joy. We sang Rokko-oroshi all together.
One of the best nights we ever had.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
a phone call from my NY mother
When I was having a lesson with my private vocal student this morning, the phone rang. I picked it up anyway and said "moshi moshi? (hello? in Japanese)", the call said "hello?", then I thought it was an international call, I said "hello?" then it said "Is it Naoko?", oh I know this voice, I thought, then I said "Yes, I'm Naoko. Who is it?", it said "This is Dynah speaking from Brooklyn.!"
Oh my Goodness! I said "Dynah? Is it you? What a surprise!!!"
I had to ask her to call me again a few minutes later. She said she would call me again ten minutes later then we hang up.
After my student left, I looked for her cell number which she gave me when I left NY in 2009. Yes, I met her in Brooklyn, NY. I stayed in NY for a year in 2008-2009 to work as a volunteer at a nursing home in Brooklyn. Our first meeting was on my first day at the Home. I was really nervous and was actually upset to find that I really couldn't understand what the people were saying. Although most of them spoke English, they spoke with strong accents which were vary depending on which part of the world they were from. Pastor Ieva encouraged me to have lunch with some of the residents, Dynah was one of the residents I had lunch with. Honestly, I couldn't understand most of her English then. She was from Trinidad. She is really intelligent but her sound was not familiar to me, that was it. I bet my Japanese English must have been difficult for her, too. We anyway made some conversation, had a good time together.
Dynah gradually became my NY mother to me. She cared me a lot, she loved me a lot, she sometimes gave me a lecture when I had some trouble. She always had a good story to tell me and I really loved hearing her stories! Her primary dream was to build a school for kids in her homeland but she got ill in the US so couldn't make her dream come true. Instead, she became like a mother or a good teacher to everyone at the nursing home. She knows everything about the Bible. She organized her Bible study meeting at the Home. Whenever somebody got in trouble, she cared that person, kept her quota cookies or fruits and gave them to him/her for an encouragement gift. She did the same to me. Whenever I cried, she invited me to her room and gave me sweets, fruits, or peanuts. When I made myself too polite to everyone with my big smile, she invited me to her room and said, "Naoko, you are too nice to men. Please keep this in your mind that men might misunderstand you that if you love them. You have to keep a distance from men otherwise you might get some trouble! I'm telling you for your sake, Naoko." like this... When I was alone at the church service because all of the other volunteer service-makers were absent, I was so nervous and cried then couldn't make myself go on. It was she who helped me by singing Hyms loudly to encourage me or to fill the time, or said her prayer, or read the scripture for me. She was always there to help me.
I invited her to my choir concert twice. Ieva, Togu, and Eugenia took her there. One time we went to a cafe after the concert and had a wonderful time.
When I visited the nursing home for the last time of my stay to say good-bye to her, she prayed like "God I know this might be the last time I can see Naoko. We might not be able to see each other again.... " she prayed with running tears. I was really sad to see her crying. I remember the scene so clearly.
After getting home, I tried to get in touch with her several times, by sending post cards or by leaving a message on her cell phone, and I know she tried to reach me several times but we failed and failed, I think because of the time difference and also because of the inconvenient environment where she lives. We were getting to be away from each other. But I never ever forgot about her. The loving time we had together, her kindness, her wonderful stories, her lovely personality.
Just beside my piano I put dozens of photos on the wall so that I can see the faces while I practice the piano every day so that I remember each one of the wonderful friends. Dynah's photo is also on the wall.
OK, I'll get back to this story. I looked for her cell number and got it!
I called her and she picked it up. We talked to each other on the phone for the first time since I left NY. How wonderful we now can stay in touch! She said she is well and pretty much the same when I left her, that was good news to me. Some of the residents I know passed away she told me. I said "Dynah, hang in there! I will save the budget and will be seeing you again, maybe not this year but can be next year or so. I will definitely try to see you again!" When I realized, I said so! I strongly felt that I had to see her again. She was worried about me because of this mega earthquake hitting Japan a month ago. I thought how happy I was to have a wonderful NY mother like her.
Life is short. Life is unpredictable. You got to enjoy your life. You got to do what you want while you live. These are what I learned from this tragedy.
I want to see her. I want to see my friends in NY. Maybe I can make it if I try hard to make this true, right? Life is short. Life is unpredictable, beyond any calculation.
Dynah told me on the phone again and again that she loves me a lot and I'm her dearest daughter and the memory we made together at the Home was her treasure. Same here, Dynah. I love you, too, you are my dear, too, I said to her on the phone.
We had a wonderful time. And the phone call made my day!!
We promised to stay in touch. She promised she would call me again when she can afford to do it. I will call her again when I can make it and also I will send her post cards because now I know she god the previously sent cards safely and cherish them!
Thank you, Dynah, to make me so happy today!
Oh my Goodness! I said "Dynah? Is it you? What a surprise!!!"
I had to ask her to call me again a few minutes later. She said she would call me again ten minutes later then we hang up.
After my student left, I looked for her cell number which she gave me when I left NY in 2009. Yes, I met her in Brooklyn, NY. I stayed in NY for a year in 2008-2009 to work as a volunteer at a nursing home in Brooklyn. Our first meeting was on my first day at the Home. I was really nervous and was actually upset to find that I really couldn't understand what the people were saying. Although most of them spoke English, they spoke with strong accents which were vary depending on which part of the world they were from. Pastor Ieva encouraged me to have lunch with some of the residents, Dynah was one of the residents I had lunch with. Honestly, I couldn't understand most of her English then. She was from Trinidad. She is really intelligent but her sound was not familiar to me, that was it. I bet my Japanese English must have been difficult for her, too. We anyway made some conversation, had a good time together.
Dynah gradually became my NY mother to me. She cared me a lot, she loved me a lot, she sometimes gave me a lecture when I had some trouble. She always had a good story to tell me and I really loved hearing her stories! Her primary dream was to build a school for kids in her homeland but she got ill in the US so couldn't make her dream come true. Instead, she became like a mother or a good teacher to everyone at the nursing home. She knows everything about the Bible. She organized her Bible study meeting at the Home. Whenever somebody got in trouble, she cared that person, kept her quota cookies or fruits and gave them to him/her for an encouragement gift. She did the same to me. Whenever I cried, she invited me to her room and gave me sweets, fruits, or peanuts. When I made myself too polite to everyone with my big smile, she invited me to her room and said, "Naoko, you are too nice to men. Please keep this in your mind that men might misunderstand you that if you love them. You have to keep a distance from men otherwise you might get some trouble! I'm telling you for your sake, Naoko." like this... When I was alone at the church service because all of the other volunteer service-makers were absent, I was so nervous and cried then couldn't make myself go on. It was she who helped me by singing Hyms loudly to encourage me or to fill the time, or said her prayer, or read the scripture for me. She was always there to help me.
I invited her to my choir concert twice. Ieva, Togu, and Eugenia took her there. One time we went to a cafe after the concert and had a wonderful time.
When I visited the nursing home for the last time of my stay to say good-bye to her, she prayed like "God I know this might be the last time I can see Naoko. We might not be able to see each other again.... " she prayed with running tears. I was really sad to see her crying. I remember the scene so clearly.
After getting home, I tried to get in touch with her several times, by sending post cards or by leaving a message on her cell phone, and I know she tried to reach me several times but we failed and failed, I think because of the time difference and also because of the inconvenient environment where she lives. We were getting to be away from each other. But I never ever forgot about her. The loving time we had together, her kindness, her wonderful stories, her lovely personality.
Just beside my piano I put dozens of photos on the wall so that I can see the faces while I practice the piano every day so that I remember each one of the wonderful friends. Dynah's photo is also on the wall.
OK, I'll get back to this story. I looked for her cell number and got it!
I called her and she picked it up. We talked to each other on the phone for the first time since I left NY. How wonderful we now can stay in touch! She said she is well and pretty much the same when I left her, that was good news to me. Some of the residents I know passed away she told me. I said "Dynah, hang in there! I will save the budget and will be seeing you again, maybe not this year but can be next year or so. I will definitely try to see you again!" When I realized, I said so! I strongly felt that I had to see her again. She was worried about me because of this mega earthquake hitting Japan a month ago. I thought how happy I was to have a wonderful NY mother like her.
Life is short. Life is unpredictable. You got to enjoy your life. You got to do what you want while you live. These are what I learned from this tragedy.
I want to see her. I want to see my friends in NY. Maybe I can make it if I try hard to make this true, right? Life is short. Life is unpredictable, beyond any calculation.
Dynah told me on the phone again and again that she loves me a lot and I'm her dearest daughter and the memory we made together at the Home was her treasure. Same here, Dynah. I love you, too, you are my dear, too, I said to her on the phone.
We had a wonderful time. And the phone call made my day!!
We promised to stay in touch. She promised she would call me again when she can afford to do it. I will call her again when I can make it and also I will send her post cards because now I know she god the previously sent cards safely and cherish them!
Thank you, Dynah, to make me so happy today!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Church choir rehearsal day
After practicing the piano and singing for a few hours, Takao and I went out to the church choir rehearsal where I teach them every two months. We prepared two Hymns for the Easter service coming in two weeks, one playing with two recorders and tambourine, another singing in four parts. Then I brought them a new piece, "Lord you have searched me and known me" from Psalm 139. This is one my favorites from the PSUMC choir repertoire. I wanted to introduce this lovely piece to them and they loved it! However I have to admit the English lyric must have been a big challenge for them. I showed them each word's pronunciation. I hope it worked for them.
Takao and I will be attending the Easter service and the following the luncheon party at the church. We look forward to celebrate Easter with them for the first time!
On our way home, we dropped into nearby supermarket and did some grocery shopping.
At night, as we watch the special coverage of the nationwide local elections' results, I pull together the memos which I noted down roughly any points or discoveries about music on pieces of paper usually putting beside the piano. I love taking notes about anything. I write down anything I found on paper roughly and then only survived good discoveries go to the formal notebook. I have two notebooks, one for singing, another for piano playing. This really helps me both for my teaching students, and also for my playing. Humans don't have perfect brain. We forget everything if we don't try to keep it in our brain. I try to re-look at the notebook to make me remember the good points.
I had a good day today!
Takao and I will be attending the Easter service and the following the luncheon party at the church. We look forward to celebrate Easter with them for the first time!
On our way home, we dropped into nearby supermarket and did some grocery shopping.
At night, as we watch the special coverage of the nationwide local elections' results, I pull together the memos which I noted down roughly any points or discoveries about music on pieces of paper usually putting beside the piano. I love taking notes about anything. I write down anything I found on paper roughly and then only survived good discoveries go to the formal notebook. I have two notebooks, one for singing, another for piano playing. This really helps me both for my teaching students, and also for my playing. Humans don't have perfect brain. We forget everything if we don't try to keep it in our brain. I try to re-look at the notebook to make me remember the good points.
I had a good day today!
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Apr 9, 2011
Yahoo! No headache when I woke up this morning, great!
After practicing the piano a few hours, Takao went to the library during that time, we decided to went to Nara to enjoy viewing full-blooming cherry trees! We just thought we wanted to have some fun, and it turned out much more than "fun" but great joy!
We walked along the Saho river in Nara. It was just gorgeous!
If you want to feel as if walking there with me, please visit my picasa photo album "Apr 9. 2011"
Enjoy!
after the nose cold
It started about a week ago, coughing, throat ache, blocked nose... then suddenly when I woke up on Monday, I had a terrible headache. Not only head but face ache was more serious. It ached as I walk a step, as I ate anything. At first I thought it came from a bad tooth, but it didn't.
I took some cold medicine then it disappeared for a while and came back again after it wore off. Then I took more medicine again. It got milder little by little but still there when I woke up this morning. I wanted to find a better medicine so went to a nearby drug store and talked with the pharmacist. He recommended that I should see a ear and nose doctor. He thought it might come from ear, might be a glue ear.
I walked for another 10 minutes to get to the clinic. As soon as hearing my story, the doctor gave a diagnosis as inflammatory paranasal sinus. It came after a nose cold and also from my allergic rhinitis. He put on antibiotic drug, painkiller, and allergy medicine.
After taking those medication, almost all of the nasty symptoms disappeared like a miracle! I should have seen the doctor earlier! Just one thing inconvenient was dizzy feeling. I took a nap for a while in the afternoon and got back to my practice.
Being healthy is really important to enjoy your life! I realized it again..
It was raining all day today. It'd be fine tomorrow, weather forecast said. Good.
I'll pray for the two lives who passed away by the last night aftershock. May their beautiful spirits go to the heaven peacefully.
Good night, everyone. Have a wonderful weekend!
I took some cold medicine then it disappeared for a while and came back again after it wore off. Then I took more medicine again. It got milder little by little but still there when I woke up this morning. I wanted to find a better medicine so went to a nearby drug store and talked with the pharmacist. He recommended that I should see a ear and nose doctor. He thought it might come from ear, might be a glue ear.
I walked for another 10 minutes to get to the clinic. As soon as hearing my story, the doctor gave a diagnosis as inflammatory paranasal sinus. It came after a nose cold and also from my allergic rhinitis. He put on antibiotic drug, painkiller, and allergy medicine.
After taking those medication, almost all of the nasty symptoms disappeared like a miracle! I should have seen the doctor earlier! Just one thing inconvenient was dizzy feeling. I took a nap for a while in the afternoon and got back to my practice.
Being healthy is really important to enjoy your life! I realized it again..
It was raining all day today. It'd be fine tomorrow, weather forecast said. Good.
I'll pray for the two lives who passed away by the last night aftershock. May their beautiful spirits go to the heaven peacefully.
Good night, everyone. Have a wonderful weekend!
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Concert for Japan @ Japan Society in NY
My friend, Sig, told me about this event and I love it! I wish I could attend it!!
There will be a 12-hour concert presented by Japan Society in Manhattan, NY this coming Saturday. And the benefit will directly be spent to help people affected by the earthquake and tsunamis. The guests include Ryuichi Sakamoto and Japanese traditional music players and more!
There also be various kinds of special activities for all ages, such as Origami or Washi Lantern.
And what is wonderful for me, as well as people living far from the place, is this entire concert will broadcast live via U-Stream.
For those who live in NY area, you should go there this Saturday, April 9, 11 AM — 11 PM!!
You can also enjoy some Japanese food some for free-sampling, other for purchase.
For more information, visit their website:
CONCERT for JAPAN
This Japan Society is one of the most memorable places in NY for me.
During my three months stay for learning English in NY in 2005, my favorite radio show on WNYC, the Brian Lehrer Show held the live recording event at Japan Society featured Asian countries. I joined the event, sitting very nervous because my English ability was very limited at that time and everybody except me sitting there seemed native English speakers. Then I made a good friend there and she became my special friend till now! Kayla sat next to me and we started to chat at the interval time and exchanged phone numbers after the event and promised to see each other again during my stay in NY. We had a date after a few weeks. After buying coffee and sandwich, we went to the Central Park and talked and talked! She told me about her volunteer trip to India and how she felt isolated there because she couldn't speak the native language. She said she understood my feeling a bit and I was glad to hear that. In the end of the stay, when my husband came from Japan to join me, she invited two of us and we had lunch together.
After coming back to Japan, we kept in touch with each other via e-mail, became pen-pals!
Then during my year-long stay in NY in 2008, we went to the musical "Hair" @ Central park together. We enjoyed walking along the river, enjoyed eating together and so on.
Japan Society is a special place because it brought me a wonderful friend!
I hope a lot of people be there not only to enjoy the concert and activities but also to help the people who are affected by the earthquake and tsunamis hit in our country on March 11th.
I felt much better this morning and no private student came so practiced and practiced almost all day! I had a good day. Tomorrow will be a better day for all people, I hope.
Good night from Osaka, Japan!
Naoko
There will be a 12-hour concert presented by Japan Society in Manhattan, NY this coming Saturday. And the benefit will directly be spent to help people affected by the earthquake and tsunamis. The guests include Ryuichi Sakamoto and Japanese traditional music players and more!
There also be various kinds of special activities for all ages, such as Origami or Washi Lantern.
And what is wonderful for me, as well as people living far from the place, is this entire concert will broadcast live via U-Stream.
For those who live in NY area, you should go there this Saturday, April 9, 11 AM — 11 PM!!
You can also enjoy some Japanese food some for free-sampling, other for purchase.
For more information, visit their website:
CONCERT for JAPAN
This Japan Society is one of the most memorable places in NY for me.
During my three months stay for learning English in NY in 2005, my favorite radio show on WNYC, the Brian Lehrer Show held the live recording event at Japan Society featured Asian countries. I joined the event, sitting very nervous because my English ability was very limited at that time and everybody except me sitting there seemed native English speakers. Then I made a good friend there and she became my special friend till now! Kayla sat next to me and we started to chat at the interval time and exchanged phone numbers after the event and promised to see each other again during my stay in NY. We had a date after a few weeks. After buying coffee and sandwich, we went to the Central Park and talked and talked! She told me about her volunteer trip to India and how she felt isolated there because she couldn't speak the native language. She said she understood my feeling a bit and I was glad to hear that. In the end of the stay, when my husband came from Japan to join me, she invited two of us and we had lunch together.
After coming back to Japan, we kept in touch with each other via e-mail, became pen-pals!
Then during my year-long stay in NY in 2008, we went to the musical "Hair" @ Central park together. We enjoyed walking along the river, enjoyed eating together and so on.
Japan Society is a special place because it brought me a wonderful friend!
I hope a lot of people be there not only to enjoy the concert and activities but also to help the people who are affected by the earthquake and tsunamis hit in our country on March 11th.
I felt much better this morning and no private student came so practiced and practiced almost all day! I had a good day. Tomorrow will be a better day for all people, I hope.
Good night from Osaka, Japan!
Naoko
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Jishuku -voluntary restraint-
The term, 自粛(Jishuku), meaning people voluntary hesitate to have fun, became so popular since the Tohoku Mega Earthquake. And also it's getting problematic or questionable.
The one or two weeks since the event, it seemed legitimate. People, not only living in the affected areas but also living outside of it, canceled their plans, traveling, eating out, parties, wedding ceremonies, going to theme parks, enjoying Onsen (hot springs) and so on. It seemed natural because all of the atmosphere was dominated by mourning for the victims, sympathy for the survivors who lived in temporary shelters with extremely inconvenience.
Then as time went by, we now don't know how we should behave, what we should do in this historic catastrophe. We want to help them, we want to be with them but if we don't do anything, our economy is getting worse and worse, national tax revenue would be decreased then less money would go to the reconstruction effort. We are getting to realized this fact.
Still some people insist we should mourn even more, we should hesitate to have fun. This "some people" often is someone not living in the affected area, I guess. The people like to judge others, interfere others' behavior. We often get influenced by those people's perspectives, then get reluctant to go out or to spend money for enjoyment.
Is it a right thing to do? Now questions for this atmosphere has been appeared in public and I would say yes to it.
A few weeks after the quake, I received a message from my friend who lives in Tohoku and lost some of her family. She said, "Now all of Japanese people seemed to be mourned so deeply. However I feel sad if people not living in affected areas, such as Osaka, would be so down. Please do what you would do usually. Please have a normal life because you can have it! Please write anything enjoyable you are seeing, having in your life on your blog so that I and my daughter enjoy seeing it! Then we would think, OK I'll do the same when everything is over!"
Her message encouraged me a lot and let me learn the important thing.
We are now having a cherry blossom appreciation time but due to short of the electricity, especially in Kanto area, public parks decided not to light-up the blooming trees at night. Hanami, having a party under the cherry trees after work with your colleagues or with your friends at daytime on weekend or so, has been our big spring event, but now it seems disappeared.
Then an message was uploaded on Youtube by an sake brewing maker in Iwate.
In this video, they encourage Japanese people to drink their tasteful sake. They say they feel so grateful all the help, donation, rescue efforts, aid supplies from all over the world. Then they tell you that the most needed help would be drinking their sake, buying the product that produced in the affected areas. I totally agree with them. What an excellent massage they send to us!
I remember, right after the 911, the mayor of NY encouraged New Yorkers to have a normal life despite the ongoing great amount of damage.
If we can, we should be active, we should go out., we should have have a normal life.
And also we must remember our people who are having a difficult time all the time, thinking of them all the time.
I think both things are important to make our country become a wonderful place again.
The one or two weeks since the event, it seemed legitimate. People, not only living in the affected areas but also living outside of it, canceled their plans, traveling, eating out, parties, wedding ceremonies, going to theme parks, enjoying Onsen (hot springs) and so on. It seemed natural because all of the atmosphere was dominated by mourning for the victims, sympathy for the survivors who lived in temporary shelters with extremely inconvenience.
Then as time went by, we now don't know how we should behave, what we should do in this historic catastrophe. We want to help them, we want to be with them but if we don't do anything, our economy is getting worse and worse, national tax revenue would be decreased then less money would go to the reconstruction effort. We are getting to realized this fact.
Still some people insist we should mourn even more, we should hesitate to have fun. This "some people" often is someone not living in the affected area, I guess. The people like to judge others, interfere others' behavior. We often get influenced by those people's perspectives, then get reluctant to go out or to spend money for enjoyment.
Is it a right thing to do? Now questions for this atmosphere has been appeared in public and I would say yes to it.
A few weeks after the quake, I received a message from my friend who lives in Tohoku and lost some of her family. She said, "Now all of Japanese people seemed to be mourned so deeply. However I feel sad if people not living in affected areas, such as Osaka, would be so down. Please do what you would do usually. Please have a normal life because you can have it! Please write anything enjoyable you are seeing, having in your life on your blog so that I and my daughter enjoy seeing it! Then we would think, OK I'll do the same when everything is over!"
Her message encouraged me a lot and let me learn the important thing.
We are now having a cherry blossom appreciation time but due to short of the electricity, especially in Kanto area, public parks decided not to light-up the blooming trees at night. Hanami, having a party under the cherry trees after work with your colleagues or with your friends at daytime on weekend or so, has been our big spring event, but now it seems disappeared.
Then an message was uploaded on Youtube by an sake brewing maker in Iwate.
In this video, they encourage Japanese people to drink their tasteful sake. They say they feel so grateful all the help, donation, rescue efforts, aid supplies from all over the world. Then they tell you that the most needed help would be drinking their sake, buying the product that produced in the affected areas. I totally agree with them. What an excellent massage they send to us!
I remember, right after the 911, the mayor of NY encouraged New Yorkers to have a normal life despite the ongoing great amount of damage.
If we can, we should be active, we should go out., we should have have a normal life.
And also we must remember our people who are having a difficult time all the time, thinking of them all the time.
I think both things are important to make our country become a wonderful place again.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
managed to go to my piano lesson
I woke up this morning with mild fever and slight join ache. Took cold medicine and practiced a bit after feeling better. I go to my piano lesson every two weeks so I didn't want to miss this time. I went to my teacher's place and had a good time. She has a keen ear and never fail to hear small differences or problems in my playing. Also she is willing to listen to my perspectives so it's a kind of cooperation of building up a good music between two of us. I like her!
On my way home I did some grocery shopping, bread, milk, fried chicken cutlets, and onions.
Finally I'll have nothing to do tomorrow so it'll be a perfect rest day then I should be better soon, I'm sure!
It was so warm today although I felt a bit cold due to my malfunction..... I saw several cherry trees blooming fully on my way to the lesson, so beautiful! Spring is really here! I'm glad we don't have to use much electricity for now!
Bad news never stop coming about the nuke plants. This time, radiation contaminated water with extremely high level (I don't feel how high it is any more since I've kept hearing the huge figures again and again, It's really fearful to feel like this... ) started to flow out to the sea a few days ago and the professionals have been trying so hard to stop it then failed again and again. Today they seem to be succeeded partly, the volume of water flowing out reduced after their putting liquid glass in middle of the flowing way. They had to let out the low radiation contaminated water to secure the storage for the high contaminated water. I don't know how bad we are now any more.... maybe really bad, then what? What we can do is just to pray for the situation getting better, that's it. I realized how powerless we humans are. After this bad situation is ended, we really live with the nature with great respect. I hope we can find a good way to work out.
Good night from Osaka, Japan!
On my way home I did some grocery shopping, bread, milk, fried chicken cutlets, and onions.
Finally I'll have nothing to do tomorrow so it'll be a perfect rest day then I should be better soon, I'm sure!
It was so warm today although I felt a bit cold due to my malfunction..... I saw several cherry trees blooming fully on my way to the lesson, so beautiful! Spring is really here! I'm glad we don't have to use much electricity for now!
Bad news never stop coming about the nuke plants. This time, radiation contaminated water with extremely high level (I don't feel how high it is any more since I've kept hearing the huge figures again and again, It's really fearful to feel like this... ) started to flow out to the sea a few days ago and the professionals have been trying so hard to stop it then failed again and again. Today they seem to be succeeded partly, the volume of water flowing out reduced after their putting liquid glass in middle of the flowing way. They had to let out the low radiation contaminated water to secure the storage for the high contaminated water. I don't know how bad we are now any more.... maybe really bad, then what? What we can do is just to pray for the situation getting better, that's it. I realized how powerless we humans are. After this bad situation is ended, we really live with the nature with great respect. I hope we can find a good way to work out.
Good night from Osaka, Japan!
Monday, April 4, 2011
rest, rest, and rest
I felt much better when I woke up this morning then practiced the piano for a few hours then headache started again, oh boy! Took some cold medicine again and went out to the chorus rehearsal in the afternoon. It's not my senior choir but another one where I became the accompanist since last month. They are having a concert coming June and I'm going to accompany for them. We had sectional today. I rehearsed with the alto singers and the director was with the sopranos. I managed the time despite the headache and dizziness. I think the medicine worked a bit. Anyway I had a good time with them. There are about 30 singers gather every Monday at a music class room in an elementary school in Osaka city. They really love singing, I can tell from their shiny faces when singing!
On my way home, I bought some bento boxes and made tomato salad for dinner. After dinner is a rest time. I should have a rest I know....
Now I'm worried about tomorrow's piano lesson. I haven't practiced enough but I decided to have a rest to have a better day tomorrow. I'm going to get up earlier next morning and then there will be a few hours before going out for the lesson. God will help me.
A lot of moving stories continue to air about the quake survivors or victims. Sometimes I'd avoid seeing them to let my feeling peaceful because every time I see them, my heart aches. Especially the stories about kids, elderly people, and animals touch me deeply.
One among them I was touched is a story about a dog. It remained alive after three weeks since the earthquake when the rescue workers found it on the floodwood (maybe a roof of a house) far offshore. Its waving tale moved me a lot. It was so cute and lively! Then, today, the owner of the dog showed up and hugged it so tightly. Thank the dog for hanging in there. You moved a lot of hearts, I bet!
OK, I'll get to sleep. Good night!
On my way home, I bought some bento boxes and made tomato salad for dinner. After dinner is a rest time. I should have a rest I know....
Now I'm worried about tomorrow's piano lesson. I haven't practiced enough but I decided to have a rest to have a better day tomorrow. I'm going to get up earlier next morning and then there will be a few hours before going out for the lesson. God will help me.
A lot of moving stories continue to air about the quake survivors or victims. Sometimes I'd avoid seeing them to let my feeling peaceful because every time I see them, my heart aches. Especially the stories about kids, elderly people, and animals touch me deeply.
One among them I was touched is a story about a dog. It remained alive after three weeks since the earthquake when the rescue workers found it on the floodwood (maybe a roof of a house) far offshore. Its waving tale moved me a lot. It was so cute and lively! Then, today, the owner of the dog showed up and hugged it so tightly. Thank the dog for hanging in there. You moved a lot of hearts, I bet!
OK, I'll get to sleep. Good night!
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Sunday afternoon concert
I woke up this morning with terrible headache, too bad! It was started with coughing on Friday, then throat ache Saturday... so I took some cold medicine and practiced the piano for 2.5 hours in the morning. I felt a bit better and went to a concert in the afternoon.
My friend, Sanae, sang at the concert with the beautiful wood wind quintet. She sang two canzones, "Ciribiribin" and "Mamma" then moved on to "O mio babbino caro" by Puccini. The concert was held at a shrine so I enjoyed walking around after that to find beautiful cherry trees blooming fully!
After walking a bit, Takao joined me to the electric shop to look for a dehumidifier. I had my piano tuned last week and the tuner suggested me to put the dehumidifier in the room to keep the humidity for a good level. The piano room is next to the bath room so it's been always too humid. I knew that and was worried about it for a long time. This time we found a good machine for a reasonable price! I look forward to put it and see my piano in good condition!
OK, I know I might be having a cold. Go to bed early tonight (last night as well, actually...).
Good night everyone!
My friend, Sanae, sang at the concert with the beautiful wood wind quintet. She sang two canzones, "Ciribiribin" and "Mamma" then moved on to "O mio babbino caro" by Puccini. The concert was held at a shrine so I enjoyed walking around after that to find beautiful cherry trees blooming fully!
After walking a bit, Takao joined me to the electric shop to look for a dehumidifier. I had my piano tuned last week and the tuner suggested me to put the dehumidifier in the room to keep the humidity for a good level. The piano room is next to the bath room so it's been always too humid. I knew that and was worried about it for a long time. This time we found a good machine for a reasonable price! I look forward to put it and see my piano in good condition!
OK, I know I might be having a cold. Go to bed early tonight (last night as well, actually...).
Good night everyone!
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Charity game: Buffaloes vs. Marines
We had a good time of both thinking of the survivors and enjoying the game.
Hi there!
It's been three weeks since then. I've been doing something every day then I realized every day life is disappeared if I don't write about it.
I decided today that I write something about the day every day from today to let my friends know what I'm doing also to cherish every precious time I'm having. Small things help us to remember how we are lucky to live our lives, right? I don't know how long I can keep committing this promise and I'm sure I'm making many mistakes as usual, but I believe I could improve my English by keeping this! It's OK if it's a line or a few, important to keep going!
Let's start talking about yesterday.
I had my senior choir rehearsal yesterday. I always feel relieved to see my choir members faces, so bright and soothing! We enjoyed singing together, chatting together, having joy together!
We had a cute guest yesterday. The pianist brought her 9-year-old son with her. She has three kids. Usually her mother-in-law takes care of the kids but this time her parents-in-law went to trip with her two daughters. It's spring break season for kids so her son was bored being at home every day.
After the rehearsal we, Takao and I, she and her son, went to lunch altogether then my husband went to work, other three went to the movie! It's called Doraemon, very famous animation character in Japan. We enjoyed the movie very much!
Later at night the pianist e-mailed me that he kept singing the songs we were rehearsing yesterday. When I asked him how was it, he said that he was bored hearing the rehearsal but actually he was enjoying hearing those songs! I was so glad to hear that! Then he said her mother, "when can I go see them again?" Wow!!!
I decided today that I write something about the day every day from today to let my friends know what I'm doing also to cherish every precious time I'm having. Small things help us to remember how we are lucky to live our lives, right? I don't know how long I can keep committing this promise and I'm sure I'm making many mistakes as usual, but I believe I could improve my English by keeping this! It's OK if it's a line or a few, important to keep going!
Let's start talking about yesterday.
I had my senior choir rehearsal yesterday. I always feel relieved to see my choir members faces, so bright and soothing! We enjoyed singing together, chatting together, having joy together!
We had a cute guest yesterday. The pianist brought her 9-year-old son with her. She has three kids. Usually her mother-in-law takes care of the kids but this time her parents-in-law went to trip with her two daughters. It's spring break season for kids so her son was bored being at home every day.
After the rehearsal we, Takao and I, she and her son, went to lunch altogether then my husband went to work, other three went to the movie! It's called Doraemon, very famous animation character in Japan. We enjoyed the movie very much!
Later at night the pianist e-mailed me that he kept singing the songs we were rehearsing yesterday. When I asked him how was it, he said that he was bored hearing the rehearsal but actually he was enjoying hearing those songs! I was so glad to hear that! Then he said her mother, "when can I go see them again?" Wow!!!
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