タイラー・スウィフト

To the question from the fan on the newspaper:"Do you believe in love at first sight?"
Taylor Swift answered:"Yes. For some reason, when you are with some people, you'd rather be closer to them than further away. You want to know everything about them. This crazy, immeasurable, intangible, magical chemistry happens with certain people. When you have that, you have to know how rare it is. If you let it slip away, it's such a shame."
It shouldn't be limited to the love relationship. To all my friends who read this blog, i just want to say that it applied to y'all.
[P.S. Honey, of course you are not excluded.]

恋愛やＭＴＶ音楽賞授賞式でのアクシデント（カニエ・ウェストに受賞スピーチを邪魔された）など、エンタメニュースにもよく出るテイラー・スウィフト。若干22歳のシンガー･ソング･ライターで、カントリー音楽は聴かないし、あまり注目してなかったけど、この答えにはちょっとうなづいた。確かに、「もっとこの人のこと知りたいな」と初対面から感じる人、いるいる。恋愛に限らず、それが友情にも不可欠。いつもブログに寄ってくれる友人達も、こうやって始まったんだと思う。時間と心の余裕がなく、こう思う人にあっても、子供がいる・好き等でないと、なかなか関係を育めないのが現状だけど、こういう出会いを大切にしていきたいな。　
ブログを始めて、かれこれ4年半。寄ってくれていつもありがとう。みんなからのコメント、メールが励みになっています。

Drumstick-smashing

seems to be a drumstick-smashing. Click hereここをクリック（太鼓のばちを使った新しいエアロビの記事：英語）。

Come to think of it, so-called aerobics classes have evolved so much even in the last 10 years. When I first started going to the gym in Japan back in 2000, mainstream classes included aerobics, steps, yoga, some hip-hop, and Turbo kick-boxing, which had just began over there and I loved it. when I moved to San Diego in 2003, the most popular was Turbo kix, boot camps, body pump, and pilates (power yoga), although some step classes were still offered. Since 2007, when I rejoined a gym in Auburn, Zumba (Latin-fused dance aerobics) has been the best hit along with body pump, kick boxing, and pilates. Zumba attracts all sort of people, young or old, thin or what-is-called, or even with people with minor injury. It is probably the best destressor. But so now, smashing the drumsticks, huh!?! I wonder if the floor will tolerate long.

エアロビも時代と共に様変わりし、レオタードを着てやるようなエアロビやステップはもう皆無に等しく、来米した2003年からアメリカのエアロビ・クラスの流行を追ってみると、、ターボキックス、パイラテ（パワーヨガ）、ボディーパンプ、ズンバといったところか。ターボキックスは、キックボクシングの動きを取り入れたエアロビで、サンデェイゴの頃はチアリーダー上がり、20代前半の大学生インストラクター達が飛ぶわ、蹴るわで、心拍数もマックス、カロリー消費度高。筋肉を伸ばし鍛えるヨガは、今でも人気。ボディーパンプはダンベルや筋トレ用具を使ったもの。体をフィットさせる（贅肉を絞る）には一番効果的だといわれている。ズンバはコロンビア出身の人が開発、ラテン・ダンスを基本にしたダンス・エアロビクス。アメリカ全土、ジムに限らすダンス教室なども総なめの勢い。そして上の記事によると、次のヒットは太鼓のばちを使ったエアロビだとか。食生活を改善しないと、脂肪は減らないと思うけど、どうせ運動するなら楽しくて、効果があるほうがいい。ただ、床に穴がぼこぼこあきそうだな。

私もこの2年ほど、体のたるみ、お腹周りの脂肪がひじょーに気になっていまして、人のことは一切言えません。必要以上に食べてるんだろうな、きっと。運動ももっと時間を取るべき。前は「年のせいにしてはいけない」とよく人に言ってたけど、「年齢を重ねると、内臓を支えてる靭帯等も弱くなり、内臓が下がるので、下腹が出てくる」なーんて読むと、なんとなく年にはかなわないような。ちなみにシカゴからホワイトハウスに一緒に来た、オバマさん一家のトレーナーの薦めは「1週間に4回の心肺運動と2回の筋トレ」。心肺運動はランニング、ダンス、水泳などを45-60分連続。筋トレはスクワットやダンベル、棒などを使用したもの。そして「何キロ落とす、サイズいくつにする、などを目標にするのではなく、1週間に何回走る、何曜日に運動するなど、明確で実行可能な計画を立てること」。ごもっとも。

それにしても、どうして今朝の体重、昨日の朝から2ポンド（1キロ）も増えたのかな。ため息でそう。

Quote of the Day

"The main dangers in this life are the people who want to change everything - or nothing." - Vincountess Nancy Astor, American-born British politician (1879-1964)

Lice Frenzy

Yesterday afternoon, the day care called and said "we have found head lice in some of the children at our facility. Misha was one of them." First I thought I heard "head light" and had to ask why Misha had anything to do with it, but OK, it is a parasite. I got that. They said they had info packet, and we would have to go through treatment.
After that this whole lice story grew in my head. A couple of students said they had had them when young, some colleagues told me experience at their children's schools or summer camps, and one colleague even called pharmacy for me to figure it out which med I need and what caution I should take ("you will be stripping off every bed sheets and pillows for washing!"). To make matters worse, on the way back to the day care, Temesgen said "we just shave hair off in Ethiopia." So in my head, there is a strange image of Misha with no hair... it just does not look right!
We got to the day care, and the director handed me an info packet and a zip log bag in which 'the louse" they found on Misha's head "imprisoned". So I look at it and realized I have never seen lice on humans (I saw on puppies before - Frontline clears very nicely). Then Temesgen looks at it and said "this is not a louse. This has wings!"
Of course, the day care cannot take in what parents say, which could be just a defensive comment. They said they required doctor's letter saying that Misha is free of lice. So we went to after-hour pediatric office, got confirmation from the pediatrician that she is free of lice, got the letter, etc.
So..... was it really lice on everyone's finding, or was it only Misha who was wrongfully accused? Was it a totally false alarm?
One person's "this might be..." becomes another person's "this must be." Then this becomes "this is..." creating frenzy out of nothing.
Oh well.... you will hear from me if I start scratching my head.

Summer Garden

I mentioned earlier that we were a bit late for summer gardening since #1:we were building more raised beds, #2 harvesting spring vegetables (lettuce & peas) until May, and #3 starting almost everything from seeds. So here we go - photos from our belated summer garden! Raised bed by the patio is a home for the heirloom tomatoes and asparagus beans this year
Our veggie garden is still very quite. cannot wait to see these peppers and eggplant grow!
New trellis on the side of the house (our friend built 2 of them for us), home for chocolate cherry tomatoes
Raised bed which Temesgen built in late May, home of rainbow tomatoes and cucumber
Raised bed which.... well I sort of built...At least, pole beans and Kabochas are growing OK.
A row of tomatoes: right (biggest) purchased seedling of yellow cherry tomato, others are clustered Rainbow tomatoes and grown from seeds
Okras, still so small...
Bush beans
Self-germinated Cantaloupe from compost, getting bigger every day.
2011 Experiment #1: Molokhia (Egyptian green leaf)
2011 Experiment #2:Taro roots
Banana trees from our friend's house in New Orleans, survived the winter again

So you feel like hitting a local farmers' market now!?! Enjoy the summer!

Happy Father's Day!

We hope every had a wonderful Father's Day yesterday! We invited our friends (aka."uncles" of our Girls)over dinner and had a terrific time, up until when Misha announced "Everybody, it is time to leave!" - hey Misha, it is not nice to kick everyone out like that.... Anyways, Happy Father's Day for all the wonderful daddies!
Art from Misha: Art from Liya:
(note: Temesgen is only 42 years old, not 60!)
6月に入ってもう2本目の翻訳をさっさと納品し、今年の父の日は、奥さんの里帰りなどの理由で子供達と一緒に父の日を過ごせない周りのお父さん達3人を招待して、裏庭でバーベキューをしました。子供達も保育所で上のプレゼントを製作。青色のリヤの絵、私の時の違って中途半端に間違っている答えがまぎらわしい。なんか本当に自宅で仕事してそうだし、チキンナゲット好きそうだし。ちなみにテメスゲンはまだ42歳です。みなさんも、いい父の日を過ごせましたか？
翻訳・パーティーにかまけて、自分の父親に電話をするのを忘れてしまった悪い娘より。（お父さん、今日の夜電話するね！）

African Drum

One of the newest hobbies of mine is West African Drum. This photo was taken last Saturday, when we attended to the 15th wedding anniversary party at our friends' house. Playing the drum is quite therapeutic to me, listening and catching the rhythm. Earthy sounds, nothing else. The video clip is very dark, but I hope you enjoy the sounds! 去年、自分から自分へのクリスマス・プレゼントにジンベ（西アフリカの太鼓）を買いまして、日曜の午後の集まりで1時間程度練習しております。周りは10年以上やっている人達ばかりで、まだまだ卵から出てもいないひよっ子ですが、先週の土曜日、太鼓仲間の人が15周年結婚パーティーをやるというので、太鼓を担いで行ってきました。夜なので、暗い画像だけど、アフリカの音をお楽しみください。

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com