I'm on the bullet train heading to Kyoto to meet an old friend I've known for forty years. This bullet train ride is my first one this year. When I lived in Kobe, I would often take the bullet train for business trips to Tokyo, more than once a month. But now, I primarily use it to go to Kyoto or Kobe, which happens only a few times a year at most. (I now live in the central part of Japan.)
I'm writing this on the laptop computer I mentioned the other day. (That post garnered about 15,000 views in two days.) I'm just jotting this down as ideas come to mind, so this writing lacks a coherent storyline and structure, but I don't mind. (haha)
Right now, it's important to write something, anything, in English, because I bought this computer specifically for writing English when I'm out. And today is the first time I'm heading to Kyoto since I got it last September. A brief entry for a somewhat special day.
That being said, I'll stop writing here (haha). I feel like enjoying the passing scenery outside the window. I'll post this after having it checked by AI.
英語学習者です。次の英文で、 small restaurants where locals dined. の locals dined を locals ate とすると、dinedのほうが ate よりも small restaurants について幾分上等なレストランという印象を与えますか。それとも関係ありませんか。 I visited cafes where tourists rested, and small restaurants where locals dined.
One of my blog posts received about 15,000 views in just two days. When I first saw this number in my blog's access analysis, I couldn't understand what I was seeing. The number was so different from my usual view count. After staring at it intently and thinking what it could be, I finally realized it was the view count for my blog.
Then, I thought that there might have been some error with Hatena's blog analysis or that this could have been caused by a cyber attack. However, both scenarios seemed unlikely, and I finally accepted that my blog had indeed received this large number of views. But why?
In conclusion, I discovered that my blog post titled "Best Buy in 2023 (Chromebook) on Dec. 31st 2023" had appeared on Google Discover. I was flabbergasted! I had assumed that only articles written by media companies or professional writers were featured there. Why was my blog post chosen? After all, mine is just an ordinary blog.
Judging from the analytics, my post seemed to appear on Google Discover for about two days. The view count during those days was about 15,000. I'm thrilled that my blog post was displayed on numerous smartphone screens and received many clicks.
Now the view count has returned to my usual number. Actually, I'm relieved to see that. This is just a blog where I practice English writing, and I'm happy as long as I have a handful of visitors. I don't want more than that.
アクセス解析 204年1月3日23時42分
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Google Discoverについてググったら、個人や企業を問わず、ある条件を満たしたら表示される可能性がありそうですが、そのような記事はたくさんあるはずなので、実際に表示されるのはその中のほんの一部のはず。なぜ自分のブログが選ばれて表示されたのか謎です。まさしく奇跡です。笑
I googled Google Discover, and the result says that articles that meet certain criteria specified by Google have the potential to be featured on Google Discover, whether they are written by corporations or individuals. There should be a lot of such articles, and only a few of them are selected to actually be displayed. I have no idea why mine was chosen. It was really a miracle that it was selected. haha
Google Discoverをご存知ない方のため。「Google Discoverは、AndroidやiOS上のGoogleアプリであり、あなたの興味に関連したコンテンツのフィードを提供します」（Googleの説明から引用）。なので、人によってGoogle Discoverのコンテンツは変わると思います。
For those who are unfamiliar with Google Discover, "Google Discover is a feature of the Google app on Android and iOS that provides a feed of content relevant to your interests". (This is a quote from Google's explanation.) So, I believe that the content on Google Discover varies from person to person.
今日、初売りのセールで賑わう大型ショッピングモールに出かけた。店に入ってすぐ、吹き抜けの天井から高く吊るされた巨大な飾りが目についた。特大の凧と羽子板。正月に子どもたちが遊ぶ伝統的な玩具、というか、かって遊んでいたと言ったほうが正しいのかもしれない。 Today I went to a large shopping mall crowded with many customers attracted by the New Year sale there. On entering the mall, my eyes were drawn to some giant decorations hanging high from the vaulted ceiling. They were huge versions of "tako" and "hagoita", traditional Japanese toys that children play with, or to be more precise, used to play with in the New Year holidays.
イラスト by Hakusekimatori 今日見た凧と羽子板はこれよりずっと巨大
凧はJapanese kite。そして、日本人は凧揚げと聞けば正月を連想すると思う。また、羽子板は綺麗に飾られたラケットのような木の板で、新年の遊びの「羽根つき」に使われる（バトミントンのようなもの）。 "Tako" is a Japanese kite. I believe Japanese people associate "tako-age", or kite-flying, with the New Year. "Hagoita'' is a beautifully decorated racket-like wooden plate. It is used in "hanetsuki", a traditional New Year's game similar to badminton.
ここでは凧や羽子板そのものについてではなくて、凧揚げと羽根つきがどうなってるかについて書きたい。というのも、大きな凧と羽子板を見て、正月に子どもたちが凧揚げや羽根つきをしているのを随分長いこと目にしてないことに気がついたから。 Well, "tako" and "hagoita" themselves weren’t meant to be the main topic here. What I want to write about is what takes place with "tako-age" and "hanetsuki" specifically. The "tako" and "hagoita" in the mall made me realize that I haven't seen children flying a "tako" or playing "hanetsuki" during the New Year season for a long time.
こう感じてるのは私だけかもしれないと思ったので何人かの友人に、この時期に子どもがそういった遊びをしてるのを過去10年で見たことがあるか訪ねてみた。返事は全員ノーだった。 Wondering whether I'm the only one who feels that way, I asked some friends if they've seen children playing with those things around this time of the year for the past decade or so. They all said no.
私が子どもの頃は凧揚げや羽根つきをした。高校になっても子どもたちが公園で凧揚げ、通りで羽根つきをしているのを目にした。でも、最後にそんな光景を見たのはいつだったか。 When I was a child, I flew a "tako'' and played "hanetsuki" myself. And even when I was in highschool, I saw children still flying a "tako" in the park and playing "hanetsuki" on the streets. But I’m not sure when I last witnessed such scenes.
これは地域によって異なるかもしれない。私は都市部やその郊外にしか住んだことがないからわからないけど、正月に子どもたちが今も凧揚げや羽根つきをしている地域があるかもしれない。でも、その可能性は小さいような気がする。なぜかと言えば、今はゲームや変形ロボットなど遊びの選択肢がものすごく増えているから。 The situation may differ in different parts of Japan. I’ve only ever lived in urban or suburban areas. There may be some rural places where children still fly a "tako" and play "hanetsuki" during the New Year season. But I just feel that the chances are slim since children now have gotten more choices of what to play with, including video games and transforming robots.
TVはどうかな？もう何年もTVは見てないから何とも言えないけど、正月の伝統的な遊びを扱った番組を最後に見たのは、TVを見なくなる遥か以前だったような気がする。 How about TV shows? I haven't watched TV for years now, so I can't say for sure, but if my memory serves me right, the last time I watched a TV program covering those two New Year traditions was long before I stopped watching TV.
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今日、大型ショッピングモールで、巨大な凧と羽子板を見上げながら、その下を歩く子どもたちはもちろん、若い親たちも頭上に大きな凧や羽子板があることにさえ気づいてないのではないかと思った。それらが何かは知ってはいても、おそらく正月に実際にそれらで遊んだことはないのではないか。何だか、凧と羽子板は正月の飾りとしてだけ残っているようにも感じた。 Today, in the large shopping mall, looking up at the huge "tako" and "hagoita" decorations, I wondered if the young parents walking under them, who probably knew of them, but were not likely to play with them during the New Year holidays, even noticed them. And I'm sure their children didn't. I just feel that "tako" and "hagoita" have remained only as New Year decorations.
多くの伝統的慣習がそんな風にして日常生活から忘れられ消えてしまったのかもしれない。そして、そんな過程がまた進行中なのを目撃しているのかもしれないとふと思った。 The thought occurred to me that many traditional customs may have been forgotten and then faded away this way from our daily lives, and I might be witnessing another such process in progress.
One of the best buys in 2023 is a Chromebook, a laptop computer that runs on Google's ChromeOS. I bought it in September solely for writing English. I mostly use it at a coffee shop, and when I use it at home, I watch an Amazon video on my Windows desktop PC while using it. Since getting it, writing English has become even more fun.
I believe that hardly anyone is interested in Chromebooks. If that's the case, feel free to skip to the conclusion. (haha) If you are interested, please continue reading. I'll first explain what it is, and then how I use it as an English writing tool.
To put it very simply, a Chromebook is a device designed to use the Chrome browser. With a Chromebook, you can do anything you can with the Chrome browser on your Windows PC or Mac. You can't use apps that are based on Windows PC or Mac. If you need those apps, a Chromebook is not for you. However, If all you need is the Chrome browser, like me, the Chromebook is a great choice. Here's why:
1. Chromebook are relatively inexpensive, because they don't require as high-end hardware as Windows PCs or Macs. (I got mine for ¥43,300 on Amazon) 2. ChromeOS offers 10 years of free upgrades after it hits the market. 3. ChromeOS is secure and doesn't need security software, so there's no need to buy any. (I have two Windows PCs, so I use a securitfy sowtware that can be installed in up to three PCs.) 4. Chromebooks start up very quickly.
It's very simple. When I write English, I use Google Documents, Microsoft Bing, Google Bard, and Google Search. I open them in a separate tab of the Chrome browser. Here's what it looks like when they are open. This setup works best for me when writing English.
1. Google Documents tab, where I write my essay. 2. Google Documents tab, where I save the results of consulting with Bing and Bard for future reference. 3. Bing 4. Bard 5. Google Search
My new Chromebook can be used like a tablet by flipping its display panel onto the back of its body, saving desk space. This is useful because the monitor of my Windows PC is already on the desk. I share one bluetooth keyboard between my Chromebook and Windows PC by connecting it to both devices. I have separate mice connected to each.
Chromebooks come in two forms, including tablets. The Chromebook mentioned in this post, my second one, is a laptop model. My first one was a tablet. There are a wide variety of apps available for Chromebooks. Android apps can be used on Chromebooks, although there are some exceptions.
Thank you for commenting here in English. It's refreshing to see a foreign language in my comment section. Well, I'm a bit nervous. I haven't written anything in English for years. Anyway, I am grateful that you gave me an opportunity to write English again.
イラスト by Microsoft Bing
Mrs. Eさんへ コメントありがとうございます。Eさんも、Eさんのお姉さんも、エネルギーたっぷりですね。お姉さんの人生のお話はまるで映画か何かのようです。すごく感動しました。お姉さんは良い人たちに巡り会えて幸せですね。 Thank you for your comment. You have a lot of energy and so does your older sister. Her life story is like a movie or something. I am really impressed. She has been fortunate to meet good people in her life.
Mrs. Eさんへ またまた素晴らしいお話です！ Eさんはほんとにお話をするのが上手いですね。モンゴルはテレビや映画でしか知りませんが、お話を読んでいて、Eさんがモンゴルの広大な草原を背景に、馬に跨って微笑んでいる姿が目に浮かびます。 Oh again, what a wonderful story! You are really a good story-teller! I only know Mongolia from watching TV and movies, but because of your descriptive narration, I can picture you on horseback, smiling against the magnificent backdrop of the vast Mongolian grassland.
(Answering a Question from Mrs. E) Yes, I did have a girlfriend back then, a college student who lived in Hiroshima. I lived in Kobe at that time, so we were in a long-distance relationship. We first met on our seperate trips to the Hokuriku region, on a train leaving Kanazawa for Fukui. I was 23 and she was 21.
I went to Hiroshima to see her every month for about two years and we usually hung around the downtown area, and once in a while went to tourist spots like Miyajima Island.
A couple of years after we broke up, I got a call from her and we met in Kobe. We spent some time together, like going for a drive. She said she had been married. I didn't ask why she had called me.
After saying goodbye, I closed the car door, and stepped on the accelerator, her reflection in the rearview mirror getting smaller and smaller. That was the last I saw of her.
簡単な質問に対して書き過ぎました。後で後悔するかもしれません。
Answering your simple question, I wrote too much. I might regret this later.
（英文が原文で、日本語はその訳文です）
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適当な写真がなかったので画像をBingに生成してもらいました。英語の依頼文。
Draw an image of three writing papers with hand-written English sentences on it. The papers are on the desk.（手書きの英文の書かれた3枚の便箋の絵を描いてください。便箋は机の上にあります）
In a large room decorated with balloons and streamers, more than twenty people, mostly youngsters and children in colorful costumes, were dancing to the Christmas music that we were playing. They were just awkwardly jumping around to their own rhythm, as if not listening to the music at all. Nonetheless, everyone looked excited, and their faces showed the happiness that they felt.
This event was a Christmas party held at a city welfare center for individuals with intellectual disabilities. The in-house band of the company I worked for played there every Christmas season, and this was what happened when I first joined the performance.
About half an hour into the party, when our band was playing the fourth or fifth tune, I noticed a man stop dancing and start coming to us. He was of medium build and height, with short hair, and appeared to be in his thirties.
He stopped and stood right in front of me and started to watch me play the guitar intently. He said nothing, just watching, tilting his head slightly. His eyes were filled with curiosity, and I noticed that the expression on his face was that of a child when he or she sees something they haven't seen before.
Then I realized that, in essence, he was a 'child' - a man with the mind of a child. As I was playing the guitar, absorbed in this realization, he left me to watch another band member who was playing the saxophone.
I had previously felt some familiarity with those individuals because the welfare center was located midway to my usual station and I had often seen them entering or leaving the building, likely with their parents or caregivers. I felt this sense of familiarity grew stronger after this event, or rather, I felt something tangible added to it.
I'm not saying in this post that I came to understand those people, but I'm just expressing how I felt when I watched this man, who gave me an unforgettable experience at that special Christmas party.
