Wednesday, March 28, 2007

A little note for Mischa Barton



Ok, so I know I've been posting about Mischa a lot recently but she has become the metaphorical thorn in my side, or rather the literal talentless beanpole in my side.

I know that didn't quite make sense but go with it anyway.

Now that I am back in L.A. Mischa has taken it upon herself to invade my homeland with her promotional shoe tour. Just wait and ingest those words a little: An "actress"..... on A. PROMOTIONAL. SHOE. TOUR...

hmm..is there something wrong with this picture?

Mischa. these words are said with the best intentions: Please pack your bags and leave England as I'm sure not many people want to buy your fugly shoes, then please take the money you earned on the O.C if you haven't already spent it on newboy caps and dresses that look like garbage bags and live a life of quiet luxury.

I am really sick becoming enraged and feeling the urge to write about you, thus perpetuating the belief that you are in fact newsworthy.

Sighhhh

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Spotted by Britboy.



I have eyes and spies everywhere!

I spotted a pissed off looking Noel Gallagher of Oasis browsing the men's designer wear in Selfridges department store, London. While downstairs in the foodhall I bumped into Sergio Pizzorno of Kasabian, laden down with bags of clothes and scoffing a doughnut.

Oh to be a rich, surly rockstar. Sigh.

I'm off to L.A. again tomorrow so the US stars better look out!

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Fergie and Nicole Richie are fug twins.





Fergie's overplasticised face + Nicole's new hair and lips = FUG TWINS

Looks like they are trying to channel the fug queen of them all, the fug triplet if you will.



ew.

Monday, March 19, 2007

Japan's Past, Japan's Future

Geiko pose with two children of "double" heritage. Seeing this made me wonder... What will happen when Japan's new generation of multi-ethnic daughters grow up with an intrest in traditional culture and the desire to become a geiko? Obviously that is the very least of the questions that face Japan today, as it struggles to come to terms with Japanese citizens that don't quite fit their definition.

Children with one Japanese parent and one non-Japanese parent are refered to as "half" here in Japan, a term most foreigners take acception to. Below is a quote from my fellow JET blogger, Gaijin For Life. His blog is witty, insightful, well-written, and all around much better than mine! Plus he has a super kawaii daughter (^-^). Read it. You won't regret it.

"I am not sure what children of "mixed marriages" are called in other countries, but here in Japan they are called "Half." I suppose that this is an implied reference to such a person's half that is lacking--that portion of them that is not Japanese. As for myself, when I was a kid growing up in Japan I always called them "half-n-halfs" but everyone thought I was talking about coffee. Now that I have a daughter who falls into the category under discussion, I use the term "Double." No one else does, but that must be because they are all under some sort of misconception. My daughter has two citizenships, a double portion of genetic diversity, and will soon speak two languages and carry two passports. That sounds like 1 times 2 to me, not 1 divided by 2."

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Bye bye Mischa Barton! (hopefully)



Mischa Barton has been dropped as the face of Bebe and replaced with 'Desperate Housewives' star Eva Longoria.

Mischa is pretty much only famous for the Bebe ads now...well..NOT ANY MORE! I wonder what she will do now? Probably continue to hang around doing absolutely nothing, and yet try and persuade us that she is a serious actress.

Please let this be the end of Mischa Barton (and her surprisingly saggy derierre!)

Just a sidenote: What the FUCK is she wearing? Was there a sale at "Big n' Tall Lederhosen Barn for the Old and Infirm"?

Friday, March 16, 2007

Ichimame's Blog: Buisness Trips

Ichimame among the plum blossoms of Kitano Tenmangu shrine.

Usually, we entertain customers in Japanese style rooms in tea houses, but sometimes we get to travel far away on buisness trips. When this happens, there is something that we bring with us to the lodging place, without fail. That is the takamakura ('high pillow', a specially shaped, hard pillow stand that supports the neck but leaves the hair untouched). This is because a normal pillow will ruin my hair style. But since hotels have soft, fluffy beds, the takamakura sinks into them and it's a bit difficult to sleep. But on buisness trips I get to go to many different places, so it's fun.

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Sakura Forecast!


The Japanese Meteorological Agency has announced it's cherry blossom forecast, just in time to start planning for the upcoming hanami (blossom veiwing) season. As I've said before, the Japanese take their sakura very seriously.

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Ichimame's Blog: Study Meeting

From Ichimame's blog: Ichimame at Ryuanji's famous rock garden.

Yesterday, the mothers (of the okiya), geisha, and maiko of Kamishichiken took a tour of Kyoto's famous places. One by one, we made are way around Ginkakuji (the Silver Pavillion), Kiyomizu Dera (temple), Nijo-jo (castle), and Ryuanji (temple). Nijo Castle's "Nightengale Corridor" left quite an impression on me. When I walked on it, the floor sang "Chun chun," like a nightengale, and I was a little frightened. If I had to walk on that at night, I'd be so scared I wouldn't be able to walk well at all!

I was also impressed by Ryuanji's mysterious rock garden. There are 15 stones, but no matter how you count, you can only see 14. The first time I counted only 14, but when I tried again there were 15. I was begining to wonder if there really were 15 stones, so when I found them all I was very happy.

I had a lot of fun, so I hope we have another study meeting like this again.

Monday, March 12, 2007

Lindsay Lohan is 7 different people.



In the space of about 4 days Lindsay Lohan has changed her appearance so much that if it weren't for an aura of bitchiness and the scent of Jack Daniels I wouldn't even have known it was her.

First she was brunette:





Then back to carrot top:





Then blonde:





Add some creepy contact lenses, 7 pounds of makeup and some elephant fat injected into the lips and you have Lindsay Lohan, a woman who is 76.543% man-made:

Sunday, March 11, 2007

ALTS Can Make a Difference

Left to right, top to bottom: Norie, Sumire and Nozomi (avid BLEACH fans and fellow Ichigo admirers), ME!, Etsuki, Nao, Natsuki, Ami, Takayo, Chikako.

The students who recently graduated from the Beautiful Mountain School meant a lot to me for many reasons. We entered the school together, me, fresh off the airplane, and them, in their brandspankin' new uniforms, straight out of their tiny mountain elementary schools, where they had only seen an ALT once or twice a year. I knew about as much about teaching English as they did about speaking it. At first they were shy, and it took a long time before they felt comfortable with me. During my first year I was sent to 16 different schools, mostly elementary schools, and had a very hard time getting to know the students, teachers, or understanding exactly what my job was supposed to be.

During my second year, I was blessed with a change. My schedule included only four different schools, with Ena Kita Chu as my base. I visited them about 90 times, and their cheerfulness, friendliness, and willingness to always do their best really endeared them to me. It was easy for me to learn all their names and identify their strong a week points, not only as a class, but as individuals. I gave them the opportunity to write to me about anything they wanted in English "journals", and to my suprise, almost everyone did at least once a week. They told me about their everyday lives, their families, their friends, their hobbies, their likes and dislikes and their culture. Slowly the gap betweeen sensei and student, foreigner and Japanese, began to close. I always wrote back to them, and was excited to see students rushing to collect their journals from the teacher to see what I had written. To me, they became more and more like little brothers and sisters, and to them, I became more and more like a friend.

In the time I had been visiting the school regularly (three days a week for a year), both the JTE and I were amazed at how quickly their English writing, listening, and speaking had improved, not to mention their confidence and participation in class. They had begun to love English, and it showed. Of the 36 students, 25 of them opted to take the national English standards test, and all passed.


Unfortunately, in my third year, the schedule changed again. My visits to Kita Chu were cut to 94, or twice a week if I was lucky. Instead I was placed at a much larger school where I stood silently in the classroom as the teachers droned on for ages in Japanese. This only made my time at Kita Chu more precious. When I did visit, the students and I often talked so much at lunch (in ENGLISH) that no one ever finished eating on time. During recess, students always came to talk to me, invited me to the library or asked me to play basketball or soccer with them.

The reason I am saying all this, and sharing these letters and comments from my students, is because I know that some people doubt that ALTs are making any contribution to English education in Japan. I know that some ALTs doubt it, too, but I want everyone to know that there are ALTs who are making a difference. Given the opportinity, ALTs can be an invaluable English teaching tool, a catalyst for change, and an open window to the world.

If you'd like to read the surveys, you can veiw a larger size by clicking on the pictures. I have translated the Japanese below.


Do you like English? Why? (Japanese)

Even when I become an adult, I will study English as a hobby.

What did you learn in English class (about yourself or the world)?

Everyone that has come as an ALT has spoken to us from their heart, called out to us. So I was able to speak from my heart, too.

Do you think it is important to have an ALT?

We can talk a lot. Speaking is important, after all. We can also have a cultural exchange. I think that is an incredibly good thing. We can think "I want to try to speak English!"

Thanks to Melissa, I came to love English!



What was your favorite thing about English class?

My favorite things about English playing games and speaking with the ALT. It was broken English, but I could have fun speaking. The games were very exciting.

Do you like English? Why?

Because I am interested in foreign countries, and because class was so much fun!

Do you think having an ALT is important?

Because you can experience English for yourself. You will be able to listen and understand (English).


Saturday, March 10, 2007

Is it Important to Have an ALT?

I asked the thirty-six third year students at my Beautiful Mountain School. Here is what they had to say:

I think it`s better if there is an ALT (if it`s Melissa).

ALTs are interesting! They keep the conversation flowing! I enjoyed it!

It`s better if there is an ALT. The lessons are easier to understand (with the ALT).


It is incredibly necessary, because we play games and learn about the ALT's country.



I think it is necessary. We can remember foreigner's pronunciation and speak at ease with the ALT.

Yes! The ALT is interesting (funny). I think using English and associating with foreigners is important.

I think it is very important because we can learn about the ALT"s country and culture (we can hear about celebrities and many different things that we don`t know about).






When an ALT is here, it is easy to study.

I think it is necessary. It is more interesting and fun when they are here.


There are many sounds (in English) that are diffcult for Japanese people to pronounce, so I think it is necessary to have an American or someone like that (a foreigner) in class.

Friday, March 9, 2007

Christina Aguilera is too hot for words



Ok so I was a little slow getting round to watching Christina Aguilera's new single for 'Candyman' and dear sweet jesus do I regret it. Christina is just getting hotter and hotter by the day, and the prospect of 3 Christinas in the video is just a bit too much for me to handle. I mean, does she want people to actually burst into flames looking at her? because thats pretty close to happening.

I know people say that she is overdoing the whole vintage look but to them I say SHUT THE HELL UP! Christina can keep rocking this look for as long as she wants, and while that continues to happen I will continue to sit in the corner of my room replaying the video over and over whilst rocking back and forth and holding a pillow wearing a platinum blonde wig and false eyelashes.

Thursday, March 8, 2007

Graduation: Shikishi

A shikishi is a square piece of fancy card board used for autographs, calligraphy and poetry. At the end of the year, students usually sign them with a short message to their teachers, thanking them for the year. The 3rd year students at my Beautiful Mountain School presented this to me at the end of our last lesson on Thursday. I certainly wasn`t expecting it, and when I saw Takayo bringing it to the front of the classroom before we did the closing greetings, my eyes filled up with tears and I hid behind my JTE. They graduated today, and I cried all over again. I miss them already!