Diary (I update it occasionally)

2015/11/17 Desk theory

I tried to read an instruction book of a game.

I found 29 words that I don’t know in one page.

If my calculation is correct, the introduction part of this book consists of about 30 pages, so I will have learned 600 words by the time I finish reading.

This kind of thought is called desk theory.

201511/28 Searching files on Windows8

This is about searching files on my PC.

After searching for files on Windows8 explorer, if I try to rearrange files by date or sizes, Windows attempt to search again from scratch.

Idon't understandwhy this is.

Why does windows try to do that again?

It should just rearrange them.


2015/12/05 I Don't Care about the Caffeine in Green Tea

When I'm in Japan, I always drink green tea. I drink it after breakfast, lunch, dinner, during break time, and at midnight. I also don't need a reason to drink green tea.
When I say that someone may worry about caffeine, sometimes they ask me whether it is decaffeinated or not. Actually, I've never cared about it. Green tea has less caffeine than coffee, and it becomes quite diluted because I usually make tea without replacing the leaves.
Maybe I'm just a lazy person.


2015/12/09 Results of the TOEIC test
Recently I received the results of the TOEIC test.
Compared to my score last year, it went up by 530 points to 830 point.

I can't believe I have such a high score, but it may be right, because it's a test.
In addition, TOEIC tests only my listening and reading skills, so I will have to practice other skills as well.
Practice is the only way to master a language.


2015/12/12 I want coffee

Toronto has a lot of cafes and restaurants, but they are not in residential areas.
It looks like areas are separated into residential districts and shopping ones.
I wonder if the reason is due to legalities or marketing.

I wish a cool cafe was near my home. I just feel like drinking an excellent coffee now.



2015/12/13  Don't Flush the Toilet Paper

There are some washrooms, in which certain toilets can't flush toilet paper.
These kinds of toilets have trash cans next to them. I

Why were there toilets that can't flush toilet paper when other can?

I'd like to know the reason for this, and the differences between them.
What improvements enable a toilet to be able to handle toilet paper?
Why can all Japanese toilets can flush paper?

I have no idea what the reason is.
Is it a matter of the plumbing,or of the paper's ability to decompose, or another thing?

2015/12/29  Epic level subway sleeping!

I was supposed to go to North York station from Rosedale, but when I woke up I was in a station that I've never seen. I was in Downsview station. In short, I went past many stations. I didn't notice that my train went turned around at Finch, which is the terminal, and then I was brought to the opposite terminal.

I guess I was tired.
There was a small airport near the terminal.
It's was good to know.

2016/01/11

I went by many stations again.

This time I was not sleeping, just mistaken.

I took a northbound train from St.George St. to go back to North York.

However, I should have taken the southbound train from St.George St. to get there.

To go to North to get on southbound? That's why the subway makes a U-turn on the way.

When I noticed I was in a wrong train, I reached Downsview St.

I visited Downsview two times in a month aimlessly.

1/28

I can't believe that the flight from France to Iceland is more expensive than from Toronto to Iceland. However, a student from France said that and it seemed like the truth. Is it due to the air currents? I don't know.

1/28

There is a restaurant where you can have a meal in the pitch black in Toronto. I'll go to try it at least once. I went to a similar event in Japan.  At that gig, the inside of the club was completely dark and I listened to the electronic violin and the percussion. I could focus on the music itself more than usual.

2/28

Time fries! February almost ends! It seems Japanese people feel that time flies especially in January, February, and March because we have a saying related it.

一月は行く、二月は逃げる、三月は去る。 Ichigatsu ha iku, Nigatsu ha nigeru, Sangatsu ha saru. Those months pass very quickly.

As you can see, the first letter of the subject and verb are the same letters, and that makes it sound nice.

If it's translated, it says, January jumps ahead, February fades out, March moves away.

Does it make sense?  You probably would have chosen better words.

3/1 I can't remember the phrase

Do you know the phrase that mean not popular? For example, you use it when you talk about a tourist spot which is not too famous and crowded but still good to visit.

I think I know the phrase,it's on the tip of my tongue.

It's not "off beat", "off stream", "out bound", and "out of mainstream".

I can't remember.

I'd like to tell you "******" spots that are not like Mt. Fuji, Senso-ji, and Tsukiji, which everyone knows. 

*"off the beaten path"

3/7 It was supposed to be a CD

There was an unfamiliar thing in the "books on hold" section in the library.

Though I had booked only CDs, I had somthing that was like a book but very thin and large. I figured out it was a score as soon as I opened the book-like thing.

I booked the score for a CD by mistake. The score had more description than a music score which was just one or two pages. That's like the very contemporary music score, I've never seen this kind of score, though.

Shortcomings (Comic)

I thought I had a class today but it was a holiday, so I went a library and read a comic, "Shortcomings".
A Japanese-American's daily life,  a romance is the main focus of the story.
I said 'romance', but the story and words are very realistic and harsh. The story consists of tons of arguments.
The main character is not cheerful, passionate, or open-minded. He seems selfish and nasty. in addition, he may have a complex about being Asian. To tell the truth, the main character doesn't seem emotionally attractive. However, of course, stories don't always need to be joyful work. Who said we always have to have pleasant comics?
The comic shows what you probably don't want to see. As I said, the main character has a complex about being Asian. He doesn't try to be better, and he replies to advises with arguments.
I think the author intentionally wrote other Asian-American characters who fit in well with American society speak their mother language, whereas the main character can't speak Japanese. What the author wanted to say is not about languages, but attitude. Maybe he doesn't accept himself as a Japanese-American who was born and raised in the US.
Most of the story is arguments, but the author expresses ambivalent feelings through them.

Life with Mr Dangerous (Comic)

I borrowed a comic "Life with Mr Dangerous" from the North York Library.

The comic is about the daily life of a single girl, who has unclear discontent and obscure depression. She feels everything is going wrong.
The story progresses calmly. Actually, I prefer extraordinary stories, like action, conspiracy, fantasy and sci-fi to these kind of realistic stories.
However, if I learned sentences like "I'd rather die, so bring it on!" from them, I would never use them.
Though, would I have a situation where I'd say "You're one of the only girl who doesn't seem boring."
Okay I'll read whatever I want!
But it doesn't mean I don't like 'Life with Mr. Dangerous'. I like it.
One of attractive traits of this comic is its graphics. It's drawn with highly clear lines, and not painted shade, like a printing.
This printing like flat graphic makes the story more objective. The comic refuses to empathize. I'm an observer of her everyday life. Then, every so often when she thinks something or watches TV, shading comes out.
The contrast between the flat and the shade makes expression of her feeling effective.
There aren't many scenes with shading effect,but they are impressive.
I like this!


Thanks, 天神

Coin Laundry

I thought, and I was taught, that "Coin Laundry" is a Japanese-English word.

"Wasei-eigo" (literally "Japanese English") refers to an English word invented in Japan and not used in English speaking countries.

However, I've seen "Coin Laundry" signs many times since I came Canada.

I was taught that the word was not a real English word, If you said "coin laundry" to someone it would be understood as the facility for washing coins.

Sometimes this kind of misunderstanding happens.

Google Translate is Useful / Useless

Google Translate is no use (limited to Japanese)

When we talked about Google Translate in my class, to my surprise, they said it was almost perfect in translating sentences. They said that Google Translate can translate what they say in Spanish into English, and the result is pretty good.

I could hardly understand what they said. I've never thought Google Translate is useful therefore I guessed that they were talking about another amazing translating service or an idea for the future.

I realized the huge difference between European languages and Japonic languages again.

For example, when you translate "I had the heater repaired." by using Google, you will get "私はヒーターを修理していました。(I was repairing the heater.)".

If you translate "I went to see a doctor." then you'll get "私は医者を見に行きました（I went to look at a doctor）". I think that situation would never happen unless the doctor was super beautiful or handsome.

"It is hotter today than yesterday" is translated to "これは昨日より今日熱いです。（"This" is hotter today than yesterday）Google even changes today to something.

Is the result strange because of my wrong example?

Anyway I can't believe Google Translate.

Thanks EssenGo, Oceansea

I saw "Beginners" directed by Mike Mills

This article may contain a spoiler of 'Beginners'(movie,2010)

I borrowed the movie from a library. Toronto's libraries are so great; they have lots of DVDs. I saw 'Beginners', directed by Mike Mills, 2010.
I always choose a movie at the spur of the moment because I'm really not sure about the English titles of movies. However, this one was attractive. I don't know how to explain this kind of movie, but its genre was drama, the story progresses quietly.

The heart of the story was the passing of main character's father. After his wife passed away, he confessed that he was gay. The main character had deep sorrow, but he didn't express it much. He kept working as usual so his sorrow seemed to be vague.

The movie seamlessly blended with past scenes and current scenes together.
Like, the past scene where the father's boyfriend visited father was in the hospital. Next is the past scene where the main character is in his childhood with his mother, and then the current scene where he met a lady.
I feel this way of editing is like our mind. In other words, although the past  never returns, but many past memories can exist simultaneously in our mind.
I think this method express the main characters' feelings well. His upset, vague sorrow, and sense of loss are prolonged.

The more important thing is that the farther certainly died, but he also certainly lived happily. This way depicted allowed the main character, and us too, to remember him well. His end didn't define him.

It was a quiet, beautiful, and hopeful movie.
The piano music that was used many times was sad and beautiful.

The Japanese title of this movie is 人生はビギナーズ, I checked it now.
Life is Beginners!  Terrible. It sounds a like funny movie, like a funny guy begins an extraordinary job, or goes live in an exotic place.
Maybe they named it just from the summary, without seeing the movie.



Thank you for correcting, Rowan, Madox

BIOMEGA in a library at Toronto

I found manga translated into English in the library.
It was BIOMEGA, written by Tsutomu Nihei.
I re-read it for the first time in a while.
I realized that the pages of his work look like they were painted solid black, and then he scratched parts of them away.

These pages are almost like a woodblock print. The heavy black surface might enchant some (or many) readers.

Unfortunately, I prefer the Japanese edition to the English one.
Nihei entertains us by the scripts, especially eccentric combinations of Kanji, Hiragana, and alphabet.
He always uses very unlikely Kanji, such as the main character's name.
Meanwhile, he sometimes uses too much commonplace Kanji.
For example, the enemy's organization is named公衆衛生局, Public Health Center. Cool.
See. Who manages the infection of the fatality virus?
Yes,It's Public Health Center. But this Public Health Center has armed forces...
It's a little bit of a shame that everything is written by English concerning Nihei's works.
I'll read an English comic tomorrow.

Squirrels in Canada

I'm looking out the window from a room on the second floor.

A chubby squirrel is clinging onto a thin branch, and tearing leaves off and then biting them.

The squirrel is eating leaves greedily, so the bitten and torn leaves are falling down to the ground. They look like they are flying butterflies as the wind is swirling them up.

The moment the sun light hit them, the color of the leaves that I saw as gray turned bright yellow.

There are so many squirrels in Canada. They can be seen anywhere and everywhere.

I'm curious to know if they have any natural predators here.

Don't they multiply too much?

Thank you for correcting, Riccyjay, Madox

Ethiopian food in Toronto

I tried to have Ethiopian food last night.

I was a little confused during the meal.

They served me food that was a variety of paste-like foods on something like a flat bread.

However, they didn't provide a fork or chopsticks. I was puzzled for a while, so I observed how other customers were eating the food. After that, I saw I should wrap the paste-like food with the bread with own hands.

It was my first time to have Ethiopian food, and I found it delicious.

I recommend you to try two or more so you can have a variety food.

(I checked a thing like bread later

It's called Injera, national dish in Ethiopia and Eritrea. It has spongy texture, looks like bread but definitely tastes different)

 Thank you for correcting me, Akai16, quoof, MarkMcP

Toronto, Amazing Hindu temple BAPS

It was Sunday, and my first day off since I came Canada.
I visited BAPS, Hindu temple that day.

I was surprised ever before entering. The temple had vast grounds and a long fence, and the building can be seen from a long distance.

The temple building was really amazing. Whole building was covered in detailed carvings.
The inside of the building was more surprising. On all of the pillars, walls, and ceiling, white stone was carved delicately. Some carvings were open-work. The room with white detailed carvings looked like a crystal cave.
I wonder if Angkor Wat had like this detailed carving when they first built it.

There were many Hindus praying. It was such a religious place, I saw only 3 or 4 people that weren't Hindu.
I can really feel what a diversified city Toronto is.

After that, I ate Ethiopian food on my way home.

P.S.
But the question is who built the building.
Are there so many technicians who can build Hindu construction in Canada?

Thanks Madox

Show Window around Rosedale

When I was hanging around on a street, I glanced at a store's show window. I happened to think that it was beautiful. Then again, I found most show windows attractive and creative. They were more innovative those in Japan.

Does their difference from Japan's make me think so?  Um, no, they have really good tastes. I don't know where they get the decorations, they enhance the appeal of their products well. Comparing the displaying of an array of stores, it looks like competing.

I especially like this furniture shop's window.

It's a crazy combination of an African sculpture on a medieval table and a color splattered modern painting at the back wall. But strangely they harmonize well.

The loudness of the painting's color suits the decorative table.

It's a beautiful job, I think.

Sorry for the poor photo. The real one is much better.

Thanks for the correcting Merlay

Why was it written in Kanji?

(Maybe this article is incomprehensible for person who doesn't know Kanji and Hiragana.)

Why was the Japanese Buddhist sutra written in Kanji, without using Hiragana?

Actually, I've never asked that question.

It's an ordinary thing to me.

Writing in Kanji has been the style of sutra for a long time.

Buddhism was introduced from ancient China. Obviously, all the imported sutra were written using Chinese Kanji at that time.Since then, Japanese sutra have been written in Kanji.

Maybe they just never thought about writing Hiragana. Hiragana was thought of as casual in the past. 

Similar in how medieval Europe always used Latin for official documents, Ancient Japanese used Kanji for official documents, and sutra as well.

When they wrote official documents, they made more complicated Japanese sentences using only Kanji.

I'm really grad that I can use Hiragana anytime!

thank you for the correcting, S0882, Madox

About a Buddhist sutra

I'll talk about a sutra of Japanese Buddhism.

Specifically, the sutra that is mainly used in Joudo-Shinshu, one of the biggest Buddhism sects in Japan.
The sutra is popular, often chanted at Buddhist ceremonies, such as funerals, or praying for ancestors.
However, I assume few people know what was written on the sutra. I can't read it well either.  That's because the sutra is written with only Kanji-letter, no Hiragana-letter as in the above picture.
It may be unbelievable but it can be read as Japanese sentences that are composed of subject, verb, and object.

For example,
"帰命無量寿如来" consists of 帰命as verb, 無量寿如来 as object. And the subject is omitted.
It means that I embrace Buddha who is eternal.

I can't understand all of it but probably it says something like the following.
-I(author of the sutra) was saved by Buddha. I deeply embrace Buddha.
-Buddha awaken in this way....when....how....
-Buddha wanted to save all the people without any exception.
-Unite any sects, whoever you are, whether you are Buddhist or not. Shall we unite, follow the teachings of Buddha.
-And so many other things.

Maybe a practical Buddhist knows what it says, but I think most Japanese don't know that. Me, too.

If you visited a Buddhist occasion in Japan, look at a sutra. It definitely will be difficult to understand.

Thank you for correcting, Madox

Flying Gardens of Babylon?

I searched a renowned garden of Babylon today, and I was shocked.

As you know, the garden I searched was "the Hanging Gardens of Babylon", one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

Let me explain why I was shocked.

The Hanging Garden is translated to 空中庭園 in Japanese.

空中means flying, or in the air, and 庭園 means garden.

Therefore I've thought the garden was "the flying garden" since today, but I found it was hanging, not flying. I thought what a mystic ancient technology was in my childhood.

I was bit disappointed, and I knew how difficult translating things from different culture is.



Thanks MrFantasy

Nobody knows My Bloody Valentine?

Nobody knows My Bloody Valentine?

In my class, the topic was music. Every student introduced their song, what they knew of it, and what they found on the internet about each song.

I chose My Bloody Valentine's "Only Shallow", I told them My Bloody Valentine's 1st and 2nd album made them become the worlds greatest band, but nobody knew the band. The teacher didn't know either.

Even though they are not really popular in Japan, I thought some people might know of them from America or Canada.

I assumed most people over the age of 30 knew about My Bloody Valentine.

I was biased. But I am a bit wiser now.

Thanks Juuzou and Madox

I went to a one dollar store in Toronto

I went to a one dollar shop in Toronto.

I was surprised to know there was 100 yen shop in Canada,where everything is sold for 100yen.

I don't know which was founded earlier, but I thought that things like 100 yen shops were unique to Japan.

In the 1 dollar shop, I saw shopping carts with long poles. Long poles that are much taller than human heights are tightly fixed on every shopping cart. In the end, I didn't understand what it was used for. 

It's a mystery.

(I searched about this matter. The blog I found says it works for theft prevention.

http://hubpages.com/business/Effective-Ways-2-Prevent-Shopping-Cart-Theft

It's in the bottom of the article.)

Thanks for the correcting, Jason, tony

Canada, Art Gallery of Ontario

Recently I've been staying in Toronto, Canada as an English school student.

I went to the Art Gallery of Ontario today. Today is Wednesday when they offer free admission in the evening.

The building is made of wood, concrete, and glass. It made me feel comfortable and warm. I especially like the terrace on the second level. The spacious floor was orderly  and constructed of wooden boards and glass plate. Light from the high ceiling is reflected off of the wood, so the light is fairly soft. Fuzzy light and blight colored wood make the floor more comfortable and warm.

I checked who designed the architecture after I left the museum. It was designed by Frank Gehry, who is one of the most renowned architects.

Today is the first day for me to see architecture designed by Frank Gehry.


<Thank you for the correction, Madox>

An Architectural Remain in a Mountain

What do you think of this artifact that is covered with trees?

Is it a shrine from prehistory ages? Actually it was built a bit later, in 1907, and it closed down in 1965.

Despite being built in 20th century, The building aged and collapsed rapidly. It looks like a ruined shrine because of its gate like shape and moss.

Actually, it used to be a copper mine. It had run for about 60 years since 1907, then shut down due to the price competition overseas. 

Thanks for correction,spivy