google sidebar

I installed "google sidebar" today.It's interesting. It has some areas of news, photos, weblogs, stock prices, weather etc.
It's useful, because it informs me whenever my favorite blogs have been updated.
And I can read some of the hottest news (CNN, NY Times, Washington Post, BBC, Bloomberg etc.) which are updated every five (or ten?) minutes.
I've been watching Hurrican Katrina news on it. It's terrible.....

Anyway, on my sidebar, there is also a weather forcast of Honolulu; it's the default setting. It says it will be fine tomorrow, and it makes me feel like I'm now in Hawaii. Aloha!

Ukulele Power

I've just come back from a summer camp. I've been completely refreshed by playing the ukulele and singing all day long.
We also enjoyed a live ukulele show beneath the starry sky. My ukulele teacher and my friends and I played by turns. We had a really great time.

We stayed at the lake side. So we saw many scary bees when we had a barbeque party. They came and frightened us. "Trick or Food!!!"
Maybe they were very hungry.....

Summer Camp

When I wake up this morning, the typhoon had already passed by Tokyo. There was no rain at all. So I went to work. There was nothing special but it was a nice day as always.

Anyway, I'm going camping tomorrow. It's a "Ukulele Camp". We'll bring our ululeles and sing and play and have a barbecue party.....It will be fun!
So it's time to bed. Good night.....

Typhoon, again

A typhoon is approaching to Tokyo. I heard it's not so huge but VERY STRONG!! oh, scary!!
Now it's pouring outside. The cyclone is passing by this late night or next morning. Maybe it'll be raining harder when I wake up next morning.... maybe, perhaps, I won't be able to go to work tomorrow(: ????

Jedi Night

I went to see "Star Wars Episode III".
It was awesome, imaginative, absorbing, and gripping, wasn't it??!!
Especially, Anakin was nice---I know he isn't "nice", 'cause he's Darth Vader. But I really liked his sword fighting, very very cool!!
Before the movie, I was definitely on the "real Jedi side". But unexpectedly, I fell into the Dark Side with Anakin.....

Well, I took this photo before the movie. It's the highest tower in Roppongi Hills. It's a symbol of this ultra-modern town. Roppongi Hills is a popular date spot now. There are some nice restaurants, cafes, movie theater, museam, hotel ....and Louis Vuitton shop!!
Especially, I love the observatory located on the top of this building. You can see a beautiful night scene of Tokyo, and even though in the daytime, you can enjoy a fantastic panoramic view from here. I sometimes take my friends here, when they visit me from my hometown. They usually say first, "wow, it's VERY Tokyo!! ". ...yeah, I think so too.

The Island

I went to see "The Island".
I didn't have enough information about this movie, so I had been surprised from the beginning to the end!!!
I think Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson are very good at action movie roles!!
My friend told me Ewan was the first choice of Neo in Matrix. She also said that seven people were offered before Keanu. Really???? I didn't know that!!
I wondered who??? I searched on Google, but I couldn't get any answers....um...Whoever are they???

NINJA restaurant

I went to "NINJA restaurant" in Akasaka.
It's a little expensive, but popular place to take your important clients to, if they are from overseas.
All of staff were wearing NINJA costumes, and said "NIN NIN" when we took photos.

Hello "Nebuta" Kitty

On this vacation, I got a little souvenir for myself. Please let me show you: "Hello Kitty" key ring of Nebuta festival version!!!!
She is wearing a very formal costume of this festival.
If you want to join the festival and dance, you have to dress up like her.
Now in Japan, there are various versions of Hello Kitty. I can see her wherever I travel. They're very popular souvenirs in Japan, pretty and cheap.
All of my friends were surprised when they looked at my Nebuta Kitty.
"Wow, Hello Kitty does anything!! And anything suits her!! "
Yeah...maybe I think she is one of the busiest idol in the world.

Hiking

The next day, my friend and I went hiking to a famous stream called "Oirase".
It was more beautiful than I expected. So we kept walking for over two hours.
I heard about the best way to enjoy Oirase, from a local guy. He said, "You should walk against the flow. It makes the river look more beautiful and lively." He was right. It makes sense!

"Nebuta" Festival

I went to Aomori prefecture to see the Nebuta festival.
"Nebuta" is a big paper lantern shaped like a giant. It's on wheels and people pull it.
It was the first time for me to see this festival. Actually I've always wanted to see "Nebuta" for a long time and finally my dream came true.
People were beating drums and the others were dancing to it. It was so lively, exciting and spectacular!!
If I have the chance, I'd like to go there again and dance next year.