America's Next Top Model

Yesterday, I took a respite from the ESL class by indulging myself watching a favorite TV program called "America's Next Top Model."
This reality show is not as much popular as "American Idle", but is still pretty voguish.
The show is led by super model Tyra Banks who also plays a part in producing. And each season starts with around 12 contestants who are supposed to expose themselves in public by coming through with Tyra's letters requesting dancing, interviewing, acting, gesturing, photoshooting, etc. to show their competents in all aspects to become a top model.
The contestants are eliminated by judging panel until the last one wins a prize. Since a contestant is force to leave per episode, each cycle is composed by about 12 times. I recorded all episode of 7th cycle and watched them all spending all day (sometimes fast-forwarding). I know this sounds a bit nuts, but after having lost my vigor from a hard activity (tennis & bicycling) over the weekend, my torpor was so irresistible that all I wanted to do was becoming a sofa spud.
The contestants look beyond a human being with their overwhelmingly long legs and small head, but it is not bad to observe these beautifuls suffer, fight, and sometimes burst into tears. Their alluring features are a sight for sore eyes.

The Pursuit of Happyness

The ayes and noes seemed to be divided on this movie, but I would say this is such a good one that I couldn't help being moved to tears.

This movie is based on a true story of Christopher Gardner(Will Smith), a broke guy who struggled to make ends meet and was forced to spend night at a homeless shelter with his adorable son, but ended up succeeding at a stock brokerage business. The fact that Will's real son starred as Gardner's son enriched this movie.

I love this kind of rags-to-riches stories. These leading characters are always smart by nature which means, however I make massive effort, I cannot be one of those. Yet at least I can enjoy vicarious pleasure.
'Erin Brockovich' and 'Good Will Hunting' were the movies I watched over and over again, and this one is also added to my must-see movie list.

But if I could request a supplement to it, I want to peep more into Gardner's life after getting the position at the company.

Unstable weather

The rainy season finally seems to have arrived here at San Diego.
According to a guidebook, it normally begins around December and continues till around February, so it's a little bit late this year.
Having said rainy season, it's only a few rain a month and usually lets up by the afternoon.
Yesterday though, we got a squall on and off all day long, and there were gridlocks everywhere. It reminded me of heavy snow in Tokyo.
Believe it or not, the morning news reported, "yesterday, there were approx 300 car accidents in San Diego". I assume the cause of tremendous number of accidents is not only the clumsy drivers who are unaccustomed to driving in rain, but also the treads of the tires are so worn that it causes drivers out of control on the streets.
In California, automobile inspection does not examine the tires but only smog check.
It might be sage not to sit behind the wheel in rain.

Mexico as a bait

Mexico is just across the border and it takes only approx. 40 min. from my house. However, the city Tijuana which stands on the US-Mexico border is notrious for crimes germane to smugglings, burglars or even homicides and is considered precarious district even for tourists. My partner's company also warned the employees against visiting there unless it's required on business, yet many people cannot abstain from it and often go across the border.

Learned Spanish language a little bit in my 20's and enjoyed a travel to a few cites in Mexico, I can't deter myself from longing for a Mexico trip again. Despite my repeated appeal, my partner, however, had not agreed to across the border with me until recently.
Luckily he changed his mind after getting to know that this coming April, a large scale of fun bicycle ride will be held between Rosarito and Ensenada in Baja California.

Hoping to attend this fun ride, I rode a bike as a start of training. My partner and I went through SR-56 west to Del Mar beach, and headed for north till Cardiff, then came back home through Rancho Santa Fe. It was 4-hour ride including some breaks and it's too hard for me. We should have driven to the beach first and then ridden a bycicle only alongside of the ocean.
I was almost dead when I arrived at home, and my exhaution didn't dissipate until last night. But it was good that I came to know I need more training....

Thanks to JAPAN

Last November, I met a guy at a nearby cafe. While I was sipping a cup of coffee alone and writing something on my notebook, he initiated a conversation with me. Started with his platitude small talk such as "are you Japanese?" or "how long have you been here?", we further talked a lot about Japan and any other subjects in common to both of us. It seemed that I looked Japanese from my handwriting. Even though it was English words, my way of meticulous writing gave him the clue.
At the very end of the schmooze, I've come to know that he was living in the wealthy gated community up on the hill, which comprises 'so-called' mansions overlooking a golf course, tennis courts, a restaurant and all that their community offered. Yes, it's all-inclusive!
The other day, he invited me and my husband over dinner to introduce to his family. And their house was just wow! It had a paradise-like view which includes the ocean far to the west,.This is not my property and so it's a shame that I can't post the picture on this page. But anyway, they all are fond of JAPAN. Their kids are learning Japanese and are anime fans, the father (the guy himself) worked at Japanese Company before, and the mother spent 3 years in Japan in her childhood. They all (except a daughter) have some connection to Japan. There was a legitimate reason he talked to me !!

Happy Valentin's day♪

What a euphoric day 'Feb 14th' is for women in the U.S.!Unlike women in Japan, who usually shop around for a chocolate box to a person they love or they care, women just can expect their darling's gift. There is another acceptable custom which can be found when we turn over a calendar. There is no "White day" on Mar 14th when Japanese men usually send a gift to women in return. But here, we don't need to feel an obligation!

As for me... "When in Rome, do as Romans do ;)" My partner dropped by the nearby supermarket on the way back home from work, and bought some food, and kindly prepared dinner!! He cooked up some pasta with crabs and pork sautes/french fries and a bowl of salad.

Precious friends

Those who move to the U.S. tend to come with a huge dream of becoming bilingual and show their enthusiasm to make friends with Americans. However, in the same way that bilingual doesn't happen to you only by living in the U.S., they figure out that making friends with Americans is not that simple for ESL people.

As for me, having lived here for about 10 months, I made some American friends to play tennis with, or to contact with. Yet I still feel a fair distance with them and I don't feel completely at ease among them.

On the other hand, while I was in Japan, I made friends with an American guy over the Internet. Our first meeting in person was about 4 years ago. My partner and I traveled in California, and he put us up at his place for a night. Since then, we've been keeping in touch on and off, and this weekend, he came over my house with his fiancee and stayed here for three nights. We had a fun time all together.
I didn't expect our friendship would turn out this closer until we moved to San Diego.

As it's known well, using chatting program and talking to strangers over the Internet has its pros and cons. Whereas it is easy to get acquainted with people from all over the world, who is difficult to come across in real life, it often causes issues which might be eventually developed into crimes. At any rate, you have to be discreet and it’s all up to you.
In retrospect, I was just lucky since this guy was a truly nice and sincere person whom I sometimes respect for his mercifulness.

But ironically, despite my current condition surrounded by Americans, I haven't found any new friends who I feel close and still trying to find a way. This is not only me, but almost all ESL people must be struggling with this situation.

What I've never tried are ...

these kinds of cakes.

All these flamboyant cakes are not unusual and can be seen at almost all American supermarkets.

It looks terribly unwholesome, yet I occasionally encounter moms purchasing these cakes, especially cup cakes, for their children to bring to the school on their own birthday.

I feel homesick for cakes in Japan, cakes sold at any department store's basement peculiarly!!

Sundubu and many more

Last Saturday, I went to a Korean Restaurant with my partner. This restaurant is sited in Convoy St. where Asian markets and restaurants are concentrated. With its advertisement regularly appeared in the well-known Japanese free magazine that is available at Japanese supermarkets, this restaurant has been popular for us, Japanese, to go eat there.
It was my first visit, and when I arrived at their entrance, I discovered a mere but major difference between the name of the restaurant on the shop sign and that in the advertisement in magazine. The sign says "Friend's house" and the advertisement reads "Friendship House" which, for no reason, sounded weird to me.
Rather than being meticulous about the name of their own restaurant, I'm sure they are scrupulous more in serving tasty food. I didn't care as far as their food meets our appetite.
As the traditional way of Korean serving style, every orders were served with variety of side dishes. For this reason and many more, I love Korean food the best.