To be an INTERPRETER

厄年

私は今年、厄年である。なんと、本厄。

というと年がばれるが。

つい最近までそのことを忘れていた。

が、2月に入ってから、これでもか、これでもかと、災厄がふりかかってくる。

なんでこんなに重なるの？

そして今日、また寝耳に水の知らせが届いてやっと気づいた。私、厄年だったっけ。

厄除けしてもらっておけばよかった。

と気づいても後の祭り。

明日からまた急な遠出だ。

英検2次対策どころではない。

今からでも厄除けしてもらおう。

また何かあるかもしれないし。

名探偵コナン映画「異次元の狙撃手」

I watched the movie "Detective Conan" today.
I like Conan and I have watched all the movie of its series.

今回は今までの映画と比較して、どんでん返しが少なく、
犯罪の構成がシンプルで、わかりやすかった。
詳細は言及を避けるが、いつも期待を裏切らない面白さだ。

本作はアメリカ人の登場人物が多いが、
英語がうまくてびっくりした。ネイティブスピーカー並。


毎回いろいろ教えられる映画だが、今回学んだのは、「最後まであきらめないこと」。
コナンや新一は、いつも最後の１秒まで勝負を捨てない。
それで必ずしも事態が変化するとは限らないが、
この態度は大切だと思う。

子を育てる親として、子どもに身につけてほしい力の一つだ。

子どもに小さいうちから英語を習わせてバイリンガルにしようと頑張るより、
「挑戦すれば何でもできる」と自分を信じられる心を身につけさせることのほうが、
大事ではなかろうか。
だってバイリンガルにしたところで、できるのは英語だけ。
でもチャレンジ心さえあれば、何でもできるようになるでしょ。

途中であきらめるから、成功しないのであり、
「最後まであきらめない」心があれば、いつかゴールに着く。
着かなくても着くと信じてやり続ければいい。

そういうことをコナンは教えてくれる。

How "terminal care" should be done?

A survey by Yomiuri Newspaper shows that over 80 percent of respondents
want to avoid "terminal cares".
Doctors are trying to make them live longer, but most patients don't want to.
Medical development has of course benefited our life,
but sometimes it could work against our will or happiness.

This result suggests that many patients are being MADE to live,
even if they don't want to.
What should we do?
Japanese government is avoiding this delicate problem.
We have welcome any medical achievements without questioning
whether we should make a use of them.

As for me, I don't want them either.
Do we need it, or not?

The most important thing

My husband is on his vacation till August 18th.
I've been lazy for several days but I have no time to waste.
I need to brace myself and focus on the preparation for the exam.

I'm thinking about the Severn Cullis-Suzuki's speech.
I'm a full-time housewife（専業主婦） and taking care of my daughter almost all the time,
which prevents me from doing unnecessary things.
I can't do anything but the most important thing.
This may be the best time to think about the most essensial matters.

I have come to one conclusion about how to live.

Don't compare yourself with others.

I am always comparing myself with someone, which I think has deprived me of happiness.
The thing we need to compare with is OURSELVES, not others.
When evaluating your performances, you can compare them with your past ones.
Judge yourself from how much you have advanced.
Your enemy is yourself.
You can defeat others only when you defeat yourself.

I desperately want to stop comparison with others.

Two girls' speeches and what I think about them

I'm getting a little better but still not completely recovered.
Yesterday I was better and I went to the place where the exam will be held
for preliminary investigation.
I received my admission ticket for the exam a few days ago,
and I got to know where the place is.

I was recently very moved by two young girl's speeches,
which make me think about my life seriously.
I am very shocked to realize that such young girls have moved me.

One is Miss Malala's speech. She is 16-year-old Pakistani and made a speech in July.
She said, "let us pick up our books and our pens,
they are the most powerful weapons.
One teacher, one child, one book and one pen can change the world.
Education is the only solution."
What a strong speech!

The other is Miss Severn Cullis-Suzuki's.
She is Canadian and was 12 years old when she made the speech in 1992.
One of the impressive parts of her address is
"I'm only a child yet I know if all the money spent on war
was spent on finding environmental answers, ending poverty and finding treaties,
what a wonderful place this earth would be!"

I can't help but breathe a sigh. I have gone into deep thought.
Too great to give it a word of praise.
The subjunctive mood（仮定法）is I think one usage of English (or other languages)
that doesn't exist in Japanese and enriches English writings.

I have been thinking about my present life and future since hearing their speech,
trying to find something the two girls have and I don't have.
I suppose the answer is, LOVE and PASSION.

It is love and passion that gives you a strength and confidence,
and not only help you go forward, which you believe is the right way,
but encourage other people to follow you.
I'm seeking for my love and passion.