A new drug

My thoughts exactly, Gabriel.


I didnt really need a new hobby, but I am completely addicted to snowboarding. I've gone just five times but already it ranks up there with fly-fishing and golf as my favorite things to do. I always thoroughly enjoyed skiing, but something about boarding is so much better. Hard to say why it is better, but i cant seem to get enough. I rode hard for 8 solid hours today and only quit because the lifts shut down. I will do the same tomorrow. I will go night boarding at least twice this next week after school. Next weekend I will board both days. Three weeks ago I was really looking forward to spring; now I am not sure I want winter to end. What can I say, I'm hooked.

I wasnt a great skier, but I was capable and knew how to ski within my limits. Not so with boarding. I have picked it up quite quickly, but I keep trying things I cant possibly do yet. (Mom, Dad, you may want to skip the next sentence). I am pretty sure I am going to get hurt, but I dont care (great national health insurance here). Okay just kidding, I certainly dont want to break anything, but I seem to have found some guts I didnt know I had. Enough guts that I realized I should probably buy a helmet.

Below some pics from a recent trip with friends Gabriel and Ken.

The mountain at Onikoube












Strapping in















"How the hell did that happen? I was going so smoothly..."









Ken and I, after a long day, but still looking genki

The human torch was denied a bank loan.

When I said I was a grammar geek, I didnt mean to claim I was good at it, only that I spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about it. I think I prefer its mistakes rather than its perfection.

A couple more questions from yesterday.

This is some apple cider that my grandfather made.
This is some apple cider, which my grandfather made.

Why the comma? Something to with dependent clauses perhaps?

Also:

Godzilla is the strongest monster in Japan.
Godzilla is the strongest of all monsters.

One student really wanted to write, "Godzilla is the strongest in all monsters", as thats how it translates from the Japanese. I told him to go ahead.

Grammar Schmammar

Recently I have been posed quite a few English grammar questions that I was more-or-less able to answer, but had no idea how to explain. I vaguely remember studying the rules and explanations in school, but have long since forgotten most of them. It seems almost daily my co-teachers (JTEs) approach me with a question from a student. I am fairly certain the JTEs know the answer (their grammar knowledge is far better than mine own), but ask for clarification, or maybe just to test me.

Example: Consider the case of "any" and "some".

I have some apples.

I dont have any apples.

Can you buy any / some apples?

Are there any / some apples?

I cant begin to explain this in English, much less attempt in Japanese.

Or how about this?

I have a headache.

I have cancer.

When to use "a" and when not to use? I know, but cant explain why.

Also, there is great confusion as to when to use "a" and when to use "the" before nouns.

This next one too, had me baffled on how to explain:

Who is the teacher? Ms. Sato is. (this part very clear)
Who is Ms. Sato? The teacher is. (??? why cant we say this???)

Japanese is not a subject-verb prominent language, rather it is a topic-comment prominent language. What does this mean you ask? I am quite uncertain, but it makes for difficult translation. Actually, I do have a foggy idea of what it means, perhaps I can expalin. Sentences focus on the most important element of the intended communication and how the other elements relate to it, rather than always the subject and verb. Often in Japanese, the subject can be understood from the context, and is omitted completely. Verbs always come at the end of the sentence. Recently I have been tried several times an activity in which students choose a new word they dont know from their dictionaries, partner with someone, and then must write sentences with the two new words. It works quite well, but naturally, students craft the sentences in their heads in Japanese, and then try to translate them directly. We end up with sentences like these (in parentheses, the intended meaning in Japanese sentence structure format)

"The puzzle can use all generations". (As for this puzzle, it can be used by all generations).
Obviously, a better English sentence is "All generations can use this puzzle".

"This theater can take a meal." (As for this theater, one can take (have) a meal (there))
or "One can take/have a meal at this theater."

"I surprise this puzzle." (As for me, this puzzle is surprising)
or "This puzzle surprises me."

As you can see the manner of thinking when constructing a sentence in Japanese and English is quite different. Add the many rules and exceptions to rules of English and you begin to understand what a frustrating language it is to learn (and why Japanese is so difficult for English speakers).

It is probably quite clear to you now that I have become a grammar geek. Its quite true, but writing this has made me tired. Just to irk my mother (my long-standing grammar correcter), I am to going to lay down for awhile. I just dont know where at.

When in Rome...

The principle reason I havent posted recently is I was having too much fun with my good friends Gabriel and Sarah, who were visiting from Thailand. The just left Friday night, after a wonderful 12-day stay.



I was unable to get much time off, but we managed to get quite a bit in considering the weather (it snowed everyday but one while they were here) including: snowboarding, a snow festival (and a secret bus), a make-your-own-sushi party (temaki-zushi), a trip to Matsushima (Pine Islands, one of the three most beautiful places in Japan, or so they say), two nights of badminton, a game of Ultimate Frisbee with some of my 9th graders, and many many visits to the onsen.





When I was at work, Gabriel and Sarah seemed quite content to relax at my apartment under the kotatsu--reading, writing, watching DVDs, and mastering Sudoku. It was wonderful for me to come home to friends and a warm apartment everyday, usually with a mug of tea waiting on me. Many of our evenings were filled with cooking delish food, bath houses, and DVDs (along with endless quoting of several, though primarily "Anchorman" which only seemed funnier with each repitition. What can I say, we are still children).

It was great too, to have two new, ever-observing pairs of eyes to point out the Japan uniquities (pretty sure I just made this word up, read "unique things") I have either missed so far and those to which I have become accustomed. The three of us decided that if teaching doesnt work out for me, I could probably start an import/export business. First on the list of things we need in America are kotatsu, heated toilet seats with mechanisms to wash and blowdry your bum, Pocari Sweat, tatami, toilet-tank-tops-with-a-sink-built-in-so-you-can-wash-your-hands-with-the-water-that-refills-the-tank-and-not-be-wasteful (also TTTWASBISYCWYHWTWTRTTANBW), mochi (though maybe this would only sell in Californina?), Yebisu dark beer, and vending machines that sell hot and cold beverages. First on the list to bring in is insulation. Its uncommon enough here that many folks dont even know what it is and I still havent gotten a clear answer for what its called in Japanese.

All that said, teaching is going pretty well, though I am not sure how qualified I am to explain English grammar (more on this in a soon-to-be arriving post).

St. Valentine and the 7-11

Wow, a month to the day since I last posted. So many happenings recently that I havent stopped to record them.

First, a Happy Valentines Day to all. It is celebrated here, but only the women have to give presents to the men (it comes round again though, on White Day/March 14, when the men must return the favor and buy gifts for women). I received chocolate from many of the female teachers at my schools, much to my delight (if you dont know, I eat chocolote everyday without fail). One choco-gift came with a card that said: "Love Memory: My heart cannot stop throbbing. As I love you, you become more pretty." And the envelope said: "All are new. You'll have your favorite places of course. You'll be relieved for sure when you visit there. This is my favorite time." Not sure, but I think I may have an admirer.

I even got chocolate today for buying something from the convenience store. I bought a single lightbulb and they gave me a gold chocolate coin as big as a saucer for their appreciation of my business. I'll be going back there for sure. I may have talked about convenience stores before, but they continue to impress me with their convenience. The other day at the 7-11 I saw that you could buy an Ipod. It was right between the blank CDs and the batteries. Amazing. Who goes in for some pretzels and a Pocari Sweat, sees the Ipod, and says: "Oh yeah, I guess I need that too"? Also you can pay your bills there, buy stamps/send mail, make copies, choose from an impressive selection of refreshing beverages/snacks/beer/wine/liquor, make prints/enlargements from digital photos, buy underwear and winter weather accessories, get a decent meal, buy DVDs, etc., etc.