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December 11, 2009

ここ数週間にわたって授業にインターン生をアシスタントとして呼んだ。インド系イギリス人なので、風貌はアジアの青年だが、口を開くと紛れもないイギリス英語が流れ出す。但し、発音にはいわゆるブリティッシュとは少し違うエキゾチックな特徴も混じる。日本人の学生たちは、英語のネイティブ・スピーカーの教員に対するのとは異なる親しみと驚きを表していた。「こんなに若い、先生？」「いや、学生だよね。」「英語、分かりやすい。」「いつもより授業は面白い」などと、様々な反応。インターンに十分経験を積ませるには、こちらの力量が問われる。学生の状態を把握しつつ、アシスタントの出番をうまく確保しなくてはならない。若者同士が緊張感を保ちつつ呼応し合っているのを見るのは、これまでにない楽しさだった。困難も多いが、教職には人間と関わる面白さがある。幾つになっても謙虚でありたいと思う瞬間だ。本日の更新は前回に続き、「翻訳読書ノート 47」。配信されたばかりのメルマガからの転載です。

For a couple of weeks, I've been asking an intern to assist my classes. He's Indo-British and so he looks Asian but speaks British English. His English, however, has a slight flavor of an exotic characteristic. Japanese students were quite impressed with this young man, saying, "He's so young. Is he really a teacher?" "He is a student, isn't he?" "His English is easy to hear," "Today's class is more fun than usual." Good reactions! In order to let the intern experience a lot, we the teachers are supposed conduct a class more skillfully than usual. Watching students on the one hand, we've got to offer sufficient opportunity to the intern to have experience in class. Anyway it's so nice to see young people talking to each other in an atmosphere of slight tension. With various difficulties, teaching is a rewarding occupation because it gives us new experience related to human beings. It also gives me the chance to feel the importance of being humble to others. Today's update: a short review of a book entitled The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga. Sorry, it's only in Japanese. It was just published in an e-mail magazine.

贅沢は言わない。広い風景を撮りに行きたい。でもその願いが叶わない。毎日ウェブ上でいろいろな作業をしているのに、ここへ来る時間がとれない。嘆くな、嘆くな、楽しいことを考えよう。たとえば昨夜読み終えた本のこと。今朝書き終えたレビューのこと。その本を読むきっかけを作った別の映画のこと。心の内には広い風景はいくらでもあるではないか。そういえば、先月書いた短いレビューをアップし忘れていた。先月撮った樹の写真をアップするのも忘れていた。脈絡はないのだが、うっかりしていたことを少し片付けておこう。これから２週間ほどの喧噪が超えがたい峰のように立ちはだかる。ほらほら、文句を言うでない。どこまでもポジティブに。そうすればきっと展望が開ける。おやおや今日はとことん内向きになっている。まあ、そんな日もあるさということで。本日の更新は「翻訳読書ノート46」に短評を。このページの写真はイイギリの実です。実は先月の写真。もう今頃はすべて落ちてしまったかも。瞬く間の饗宴だ。表紙の写真は晩秋の里山（八国山尾根）です。

I won't say anything beyond my power. I just want to go out to see a grand view which will expand my sight both physically and mentally. Alas, that seems to be beyond my power right now. I've been working with websites almost everyday but I can't get time to come here. I know I should not complain. Instead, let me think of something good, such as I finished reading a wonderful book last night and writing a review for it this morning. Also of the movie which led me to read the book. Inside of me is the grand view. BTW, I've forgotten uploading a review which I wrote a month ago. I've also forgotten uploading a photo of a wonderful tree which I took last month. I should stop to tie up the loose ends now. In front of me is an enormous peak which seems to be too high for me to go over in a couple of weeks from now on. Ah, stop saying anything so negative! Be positive and assertive to drive my life so that I can go forward! Well, well, I am watching my inner world only today. Let it be. Today's update: a review of a book (only in Japanese) and the photo above (Idesia polycarpa) which I took a month ago. By now I guess all the red beans have fallen on the ground. The feast is in a moment. The photo in the index page is a view of a trail in Hachikoku Hills in my neighborhood,

霜月はどちらかというと目立たない。神無月と師走に挟まれて、秋から冬への通過地点のような時なのだが、どうしてどうして実のところ多彩な催事や記憶すべき出来事にあふれている。今年もそうだ。こうして自分のページに立ち返り、あれもこれも書きたい気持ちに苛まれながら、力不足・時間不足を嘆くばかり。いずれ形にしていきたいとは思っている。このところ、これまでにはなかった役割が増えたため、ページの更新が滞っている。エイジングとそのケアという課題は、誰の上にも降りかかる。今は私がケアする立場。でもいずれは私がケアされる立場に。だから、「相身互い」という我が国の伝統を納得して受け止めることが出来るようだ。本日の更新は、若い友人たちに薦められてみた映画の感想。"THIS IS IT"について。長い間放置していたページがあるのを思い出して一文加えてみた。あちらこちらへのご無沙汰をこんなところで申し述べても虚しいが、ご訪問に心からの感謝をいたします。

November in between October and December seems to be a month not very remarkable. In fact, it IS a remarkable time for me every year full of various events and personal memories. This year the situation is the same. I haven't been able to come back to my website to write all the impressive things in my mind. I would really like to but time and energy I have is so limited. Gradually I mean to write some of them. Recently I've got a new role at home; my mother-in-law needs a lot of care for aging. Aging is "pre-installed" in all of our life. Right now I am to care another person, but I'm destined to be cared in the near future by someone else. Thanks, in this country, we have the tradition to take care of each other in tern. I accept my new role quite naturally. BTW, I would not give up my leisure time either. Some of my young friends recommended me to see Michael Jackson's THIS IS IT. Today's update: a brief review on the movie. Sorry, it's only in Japanese for now. I was quite impressed with MJ challenging (seemingly) impossible mission.

10月に本郷大横丁で行われた「櫻木神社大祭」の写真ページがやっとできた。これは本来は大学のサーバにおいてあるものだけれど、自宅で作業をする関係上、こちらにミラーサイトがある。今回の祭りの写真撮影は主に同横丁「木村屋パン店」のご主人。私の役目はその構成だ。（ほんの数枚自分で撮影したものも紛れ込んでいる。）ゼミの学生4名がボランティアで御輿を担ぎに出てくれた。150枚以上の写真から選りすぐってみたものの、どれも捨てがたく長いページになってしまった。ストリート（路上）に繰り広げられる祭りの賑わい。人々の生き生きした表情や子供たちの真剣な面差し。スナップもたくさん集まると、ドラマのようだ。つくづく本郷の素朴な魅力を感じる。という次第で、本日の更新は「平成２１年櫻木神社大祭」写真ページです。キャプションはまた後日。

It took me nearly one month to complete the photo page for "The Festival of Sakuragi Shrine" which was celebrated by the people at Hongo Oyokochou, Tokyo. This page belongs to a website introducing Hongo Oyokocho Lane, which is uploaded at the web-server of Toyo Gakuen University. However, I work for it mainly at home, and so I have a mirror site for that at hand. The photographer of the page is mainly Mr. Sekiguchi, the master of a bakery "Kimura-ya" at Hongo. I arranged them. (Only a few of mine are included.) Four of my seminar students helped out hanging "mikoshi" (a small shrine for the festival) voluntarily. I selected photos out of more than 150 pieces. It was hard to choose. All looked very interesting and attractive. Watching those photos, I was deeply impressed with the vivacious expressions on people enjoying the festival, and with lively children as well. The collection of photos makes a kind of drama. I am really fond of the touch of Hongo Oyokocho. Today's update: the photo page "The Festival of Sakuragi Shrine." Let me write the caption for the page another time!

20年ほど前の卒業生の訪問を受けた。短大卒業後、大きな企業に勤めて三年あまりで退職し、貯めたお金でアメリカに留学。州立大学に編入して卒業した後は、そのままアメリカで就職した。着々と業績を上げ、とある企業の副社長にまでなった。その間にアジア系アメリカ人と結婚し、子供も生まれた。今回はその子供を伴っての里帰りだった。颯爽とした様子は以前と微塵も変わらず、キャリアウーマンとしても母親としてもたいへんに魅力的な人だ。しかし、今回は昨年のリーマンショック以来アメリカがどのように変化してきたかを語り、彼女自身が最近突然解雇されたことを語った。培ってきたネットワークを生かして、必ず次の仕事を見つけるつもりであること、今は休養と充電期間ととらえていることなどを淡々と話していった。心から応援したい。世界中どこにいてもどんな状況下でも、柔軟にしたたかに、お互い生き延びていこうではないか。本日の更新は、「リンクページ」の刷新第一弾です。英語英会話教育の重鎮キヨ先生から相互リンクのお誘いをいただき、リンクページを整備し直しています。表紙ページの写真（「勝鬨橋を超えて」）とこのページの写真（「隅田川テラス」）もアップしました。

One of the old students who I taught almost 20 years ago visited me recently. After she graduated from our college, she worked with a big company for 3 years and then she went over to the United States, where she enrolled a state university. After graduation, she found a job there and built up her career. She became a vice president of a company. Meanwhile, she got married to an Asian American and had a child. As a working woman and as a mother, she looks very attractive. This time, however, she told me how she was fired from the company she worked more than 14 years. She also talked about how businesses have been in low tone since last autumn. Nonetheless, she believes she will surely find another job very soon with all her network she has created for years in business. She told me she's now in a break before a fresh start. Good! Wherever we are, let us be flexible and tough! We'll manage to survive. Let's keep going, Today's update: KKHP-LINKS ; also the photo in the index page (Kachidoki Bridge) and the one here (Sumida-gawa Terrace). Thanks for your visit! The film proved he was an incomparable entertainer. Well, thanks again for your visit, fiends!

アメリカの友人から短信が届いた。オーストラリアに住む親戚が、自宅の敷地内でもそもそ動く毛玉を発見したらそれは野生のコアラだったと。コアラは近くの樹に登ったところを激写され、彼女に送られてきたコアラの写真を私も転送してもらった。何とも愛嬌のある姿。オーストラリア在住19年目にして初めての野性コアラ来訪だそうだ。それにしても、先日乗鞍岳ロープウェイ入り口で起こったクマと人との遭遇は痛ましかった。どちらも驚いてパニックに陥り、クマは射殺された。共存の道はないものか。コアラやクマに比べるとあまりにも小さいが、わが家を訪問したカマキリも、それなりに完璧な姿をしている。その後何処へ行ったやら。本日は野生動物に敬意を表し、コアラの写真を公開致します。（撮影者、転送者に感謝！）

A friend of mine living in the United States e-mailed me this morning. According to her, her relatives in Australia found a gray ball of fur(like a Persian cat) on their premises, and it was a koala! It walked to a tree nearby and climbed up about 2 meters. She received photos of the koala and kindly forwarded them to me. How lovely the koala on the tree is! It was the first occasion for them to witness a wild koala in the past 19 year years on their land. It reminded me of a bear which was shot dead a few weeks ago at the ropeway station in Mt. Norikura. It was a devastating encounter with people and a wild animal. Both of them got into a panic. I wonder how we can live together. Compared to a koala and a bear, the mantis "on my land"(!) was just so tiny; however, it looked perfect as it was. Where has it gone? In honor of wild animals, today's update is a photo page of the koala. Special thanks to the photographer in Australia and my friend in the United States.

タオルケットを洗濯して取り込もうとしたら、おやお客様がいた。枯葉色に変身しつつあるカマキリだ。逃げもせず、こちらをじっと見ている。では記念に一枚パチリ。それがこの写真。動物を擬人化するのはイヤだが、こう何となくもの言いたげではある。「パチリ」で思い出したが、先日若い友人が「トイカメラ」を持っていた。目下流行中とか。わざと画素数を落として色味を減らし、レトロな雰囲気の画像にするという。「こんなもの買ってどうすると思ったけれど、最高に面白い」と言っている。それはそれは。このところ写真を撮る機会がめっきり減っていて、残念でならなかった。心機一転カメラで遊んでみようか。そんなことを考えながら、日々の荷物を風に吹き流す。本日の更新は表紙の写真（平林寺山門）とこのページの写真です。もの思えどもの言わず。

There was a visitor to my dried towel when I was about to take it indoors. It was a mantis whose body was turning to the color of a fallen leaf. It kept watching me, not escaping. So I took a photo. I don't want to personalize an animal, but it looked as if it wanted to talk to me. BTW, talking about a photo, I remember a young friend of mind was talking about "a toy camera." It is a simple camera to produce retrospective flavors to images. She said, "First I thought I was joking to buy such a thing as a toy camera, but I've fond it a best buy recently. It's so interesting to take photos with it. I love it." I feel like purchasing one myself. Recently I'm not taking photos as often as before, which is a pity. I hope all my worries will be blown in the wind while playing with a toy like that! Today's update: The photo on the cover page (The main gate into Heirin-ji Temple) and this mantis. It's a season to be pensive, not talkative.

台風は臨時休業をもたらし、飛び石連休のようになった。いよいよ就活の始まった娘はリクルートスーツを着込んで、バタバタと「企業説明会」とやらへ出かけていった。会場は私が以前に非常勤で勤めていた学校とのことなので、「最短ルート」だけは伝えた。当然ながらそんなことの他は口も手も出せない。一方勤め先へ行けば、同世代の学生達が就活を開始し右往左往しているところだが、こちらへも直接荷担できることは何もない。ただ、尻込みしている人に、「そろそろ目を覚ましては？」と言うくらいが関の山だ。先だって大学の「家族会」（？！）という集まりで彼らの親御さん達にお会いし、その若々しさに驚嘆した。大学生全般が以前より幼く感じられるのは、ドンピシャで自分の子どもと同年齢だからなのだろうか。本日の更新は短信のみにて。柔らかな風がヒンヤリしている。

Due to the typhoon we had an extra day off; and then came a long weekend including a holiday on Monday. My daughter has started job hunting. She bustling went out in "the recruit suit" to a small conference of enterprises. The conference is held in a university where I was once working as a part-time instructor; so I told her the shortest way. That's the only thing a mother can do, At my working place, my students are also starting job hunting. All I can do there is just to encourage slow starters to jump in activities. A few weeks ago, I had a chance to meet their parents in "a family gathering." I was astonished to see them much younger than me. Recently I have an impression that college students are more immature than those of the past. Is it because they are exactly of the same age with my own daughter? Today's update: this note only. The breeze is really cool today.

街を歩くと微かにツーンとした柿の香りが漂ってくることがある。落ちた実なのだろう。雨の関東平野を武蔵野線で延々と行くと幾筋かの大河川が煙っている。一瞬のことなのだけれど、大都会を忘れる。その一方、数年前までただの茫々たる休耕地と思っていたところに次々と巨大モールや大型店舗が出現し、その唐突感に思わず苦笑する。IKEA新三郷店へは二度ほど寄ってみた。カフェテリアで食事すると、出口まで広大な家具・雑貨売り場を巡り歩かなくとはならないように動線が出来ている。なかなかの戦略。買えるのは小物だけだが。変化し続けるものばかり。本日の更新は短信のみにて。強大な台風が接近中とのこと。何処を見ても、穏やかならざる秋。

While walking in town, sometimes I notice the smell of ripe persimmon. I guess it's rising from fallen fruit. While going through Kanto District by the Musashino Line in rain, I see big rivers running in haze. For a moment I forget the bustling metropolis. Then all of a sudden, to my dismay, newly built huge malls and shopping buildings appear in my view. They are built in lots which were all covered with wild grasses for years. I've been to IKEA Shinmisato twice. After you eat at a cafeteria, you've got to walk a long way through a huge shopping floor. It's strategically very well-made although all I can buy are tiny things. Well, nothing stays same. Today's update: this note only. Reportedly a strong typhoon is approaching Japan. It's an unquiet autumn everywhere.

秋冷ということばの相応しい気候になってきた。変わりやすい秋空、今朝はどんよりと雲が垂れ込めて。室内ではまだ半袖で十分だが、外出には長袖が安心。「おせち料理予約開始」の宣伝を目にし、いくらなんでも気の早いと笑っているうちにおそらく駆け足で冬に突入していくのだろう。ここに来て急に義母・母の不調が相次ぐ。義母と共に病院の待合室で順番を待つ時間が長くなった。娘が幼かった頃、熱を出した・怪我をした・咳が止まらないと言ってあちこちの病院をかけずり回った日々を思い出す。子どもは熱が引けばけろりとし、快復後は一段と成長めざましかったものだが、年配者の場合一難去ってまた一難どころか、困難が加算されていくのが辛い。それでも、ひとつひとつのハードルを共に越えていくしかない。秋から冬へ。それは避けて通れない季節の巡り。誰の上にも等しく。本日の更新は短信のみにて。

It's the season of autumnal coolness. The sky changes its colors so suddenly. This morning it is covered with dark heavy clouds. Short sleeves are all right indoors but outdoors you need long sleeves. I was astonished to find an advertisement about the reservation of new-year dishes, but it might be the sign of winter coming very soon. Recently both my mother-in-law and my mother are not feeling well; I've been spending a long time with my mother-in-law in waiting rooms at hospitals. It reminds me of the days when I took my daughter who got fever, endless coughs, injured etc to hospitals. A small child got well soon and grew up strongly more for the minor diseases; however, in elder people difficulties are added one after another. We can't help going over them together. From, autumn to winter--this is the natural turn of seasons for everybody. Today's update: this note only.

９月がこんなに忙しい月とは思わなかった。しかも今年は「シルバーウィーク」などが挟まり、ラッキーといえばとてもラッキーだったのだが。いやはや。今月は隙間を縫って長い本をいくつか読んだ。『倒壊する巨塔--アルカイダと9.11』については短いブックレビューを書いた。読み始めたのは大分前だったがここ数日で『劔岳--点の記』を一気に。いずれもことばから想像する遙かな世界。目の前のあれこれに忙殺されていてどうすると、叱咤激励されたように感じた。本日の更新は表紙の写真（本郷大横丁を行く櫻木神社祭礼の子ども御輿と山車）とこのページの写真（わが家の門前に茂るセージの花）です。四ヶ月ぶりに「翻訳軸書ノート」も更新致しました。昨日までここにいたコサギは縮小して前項の頭に移動。秋たけなわ、果物が美味しい。

I never imagined September is such a busy month. In addition, we had "Silver Week Holiday" this year! I should think we're lucky. Well, well. I've read some long books recently. The Looming Tower by Lawlence Wright and Mt. Tsurugi by Nitta Jirou. I felt both of them bid me not to pay attention only to what I can see in front of me but to see time and space far away. I was taken away from my daily life by the force of words. Today's update: a short review on The Looming Tower in Japanese and photos in the index page (a float and a portable shrine for children going through back alleys in Hongo, Tokyo) and the one in this page (flowers of sage in front of our house). I resized the photo of egret and put it at the head of the previous entry. Now we're in the middle of beautiful autumn. Fruits are so delicious!

台風一過で猛烈な暑さがぶり返し真夏日が戻ったのは僅か一日で、本日の関東地方は再び雨模様。これから秋雨が続くのだろうか。昨日の晴れ間に自転車で空堀川を下流に向かって走った。東村山市より清瀬市の方が野趣に富む風景が展開する。夏草の間を僅かに増水した川が流れる。いつもより潤いのある水辺だった。空堀川と柳瀬川が合流する少し手前に、水鳥が集まっている。そっと近寄っても逃げない。この川でコサギは珍しくないが、間近で眺められる機会はなかなか無い。瀬音を聞きながら私もじっとしていた。鳥がふわっと飛び立ってしまうまで。本日の更新は表紙ページの写真（東京都清瀬市柳瀬川回廊近くの空堀川）とこのページの写真（空堀川のコサギ）です。レンゲショウマの写真は縮小して前回の短信先頭に置きました。行く夏を惜しんで。

After the typhoon, there came back the tremendous heat and we had one real summer day again. But today we had a quiet rainy day. I guess autumn rain will continue. Yesterday, while it was hot and sunny, I went cycling along the Karabori River down toward Kiyose. I like the natural environment of the river very much. Through the grasses the river ran with water slightly increased by the typhoon. The view was very refreshing. Near the point where the River Karabori and the River Yanase meet, some birds were gathering in the water. I approached them quietly but the didn't fly away. We often find little egrets in this river, but yesterday I had a chance to see one from an exceptionally close distance. I stayed still, listening to the sound of the stream, watching the little egret until it finally flew up with an elegant motion to the air. Today's update: the photo in the index page (the River Karabori, Kiyose City, Tokyo) and the one up above (a little egret in the River Karabori). I reduced the size of the photo of Anemonopsis macrophylla and put it at the head of the previous note. I will miss summer.

午前中と午後の早い時間、東京は激しい雨に見舞われた。もっとひどい台風になるという予想だったのだが。選挙後の「初日」はぬれそぼる一日となった。TVのニュースショウは延々と組閣予想や新政府の行く末談義を流し続けている。雨に降り込められてそんな番組を見て過ごした人も多いのでは無かろうか。新聞は意外なほど薄かった。選挙結果の一覧以外見るべき記事もなく。こういう変化を前に浮かれた気分になっているか、衝撃を受けているか、それとも興奮していいるか自問してみても、案外平静なのに気付く。次のステージはもっと困難なものになるだろうと想像できるから。女性候補者が多く当選した。驚くほど若い人も。願わくば彼女たちが長く国会で人々のために働いてくれますように。明日はまた晴れるとよいのだが。九月となり、学生達は学校に戻る。教師達も。私も。本日の更新は短信と、オレンジコスモスの花を一輪、前回の書き出しに添えました。さて、８月はこれでお終い。

Heavy rain attacked Tokyo in the morning and early afternoon. It could've been a more serious typhoon. Day one after the election was dump. Confined indoors, people kept watching TV news shows which lasted all day. A newspaper was thin; nothing other than the election was in it. Am I feeling hilarious, shocked, or excited? Not very much. I've taken the change of political map calmly. The next stage will be difficult. Many female candidates were elected. Astonishingly they're young. I hope they will keep the seats in diet and work continuously for people. I hope tomorrow will bring us a sunny day again. September starts. Students are going back to school and so are teachers. Let me join them. Today's update: this note and the photo beneath; an orange cosmos in a park. All right, August is over now!

夏がすっかり終わってしまう前に行ってみたいところがあった。電車に乗って自宅からたったの一時間半（ということは通勤と大して変わらない！）でJR青梅線「御嶽駅」に着くというのに、何故今までグズグズしていたのだろう。レンゲショウマが見頃と聞き御嶽山へ！山頂付近の斜面にレンゲショウマはひっそりと、けれど楽しげに満開だった。俯いて咲く様子はカタクリにも似て。木漏れ日の中、涼やかな乙女達の風情。いざカメラを向けると、淡い色を捕らえるのはとても難しい。あとから見るとどれもほんのりぼやけて幻のようだ。久しぶりに山の空気をいっぱいに吸い込んで、これからの季節に備える。また何度も行きたい場所になった。本日の更新は表紙の写真（御嶽山頂大展望台から東京都心方向を見晴らす）と、このページの写真（御嶽山頂付近に咲くレンゲショウマ）。今回は登山と言うよりお花見だった。いつかもっと広範囲を歩いてみたい。昨日までここにあったヒマワリの写真は縮小して昨日の短信文頭に納めました。

Before the end of summer comes, I wanted to go to Mt. Mitake to observe "renge-shouma" (Anemonopsis macrophylla). It took me just one hour and a half from my house to the JR station "Mitake." Why I hadn't act much earlier? Near the summit of the mountain, in the bush the tiny flowers were "hanging." The way they bloom looking down resemble Japanese dog's tooth violet (katakuri). In the soft light falling through woods around, they looked like lovely girls dancing shyly. But it was hard to capture them by my camera. Afterwards, I found most of the photos were dim and out of focus, Alas! Thanks, I breathed the air of the mountain deeply and prepared myself for the new seasons to come. I would really like to return to the mountain again and again. Next time I will walk longer. Today's update: a photo in the index page (a view from the summit of Mt. Mitake toward Tokyo) and the one above (Anemonopsis macrophylla). I reduced the size of the photo of sunflower and put it at the head of the previous note below.

夏もどん詰まりに来て色々なことがある。焦ったり青くなったり気を揉んだり。世の中はそうそう順調に動いていくものではない。ここは一つ鷹揚に構えて、団扇でも使おう。（おお、年の功！）とかく自己中心に物事を考えていると悲観要素ばかり思いつくが、何のこれしきと放り投げると案外気が楽になる。今日はフィッシュマーケットのお兄さんが「宝石のように輝く」イクラを大事そうに売ってくれた。何度もその枕詞を言うので笑ってしまう。確かに、どんな宝石にも負けない輝き。きっと凄い高カロリーでもあるのだろう。一粒残さずいただきましたとも！本日の更新は短信のみにて。先日の多摩湖堰堤から望む東村山市西部の写真は周囲を切り取り縮小して前日の頭にくっつけました。

At the end of summer various things are happening. I get impatient, shocked, and worried. However, I know life never goes on smoothly. I should fan myself and calm down. (I am old enough to know better!) If we think anything in egocentric ways, the world will look dreary. But if we throw away our worries at some points, the world look brighter and we can feel much better. All right, today at a fish market, a fishmonger sold me a cup of salmon roes with such an epithet as "brilliant as jewelry." His words made me laugh, but surely he was right. They were really like jewelry. I ate them with relish. They must be high-calorie too, What matters? Today's update: this note only. I reduced the size of the photo of western Higashimurayama City viewed from the bank of Lake Taka and put it at the head of the previous note below.

８月も残り少なくなってきた。休みに入ってホッとしたのも束の間、毎年のことながら夏は急速に衰えていく。ヒマワリの花はうなだれ、サルスベリだけが炎上している。毎月一度、英語の老大家にショートエッセイを読んでいただく。英語学習をめぐるメールマガジンの日本語記事なのだけれど、書いたものにご意見をいただけるのは本当に有り難い。どんなトピックにもピシリと簡にして要を得たコメントが入る。本日もそれで返された原稿を全面改訂した。いつの間にかもう28回目。いつかこのサイトでまとめて公開できるとよいのだが。本日の更新はこのページの写真（晩夏のヒマワリ）です。

The rest of August is not long. Time has passed so quickly since the beginning of the summer break. Every year I'm astonished to feel the shortness of summertime. While sunflowers are bending, crape myrtles are blazingly in full bloom .Once a month an elderly scholar reads my short essay (on English education) for a mail magazine. He makes really sharp comments no matter what the topics are. Thanks to him, I can rewrite the essay (in Japanese) before publication. I've written 28 essays already. I wish I could upload them someday here in this website. Today's update: the photo in this page (a sunflower in withering summer).

ある昼下がり、浜離宮へふらりと入り木陰で涼んだ。都会の喧噪は遠く、風が通る。川風か、いや海風だ。匂いが違う。久しぶりに水上バスに乗って浅草から（休み中だが会議のある）仕事場へ。そのまま地下鉄に乗れば30分のところ、酔狂を起こして回り道一時間半。たまにはいいだろう。道路を行くのと水上を行くのは全く違う。向島で生まれたからなのか、隅田川が呼ぶ。本日の更新は表紙の写真(東京湾の水上バス)とこのページの写真（浜離宮で見たウイキョウ）です。萩の花は縮小して下へ。

One afternoon, I walked into Hamarikyu Park and stood under trees. Noise of the town was far away. The cool wind was blowing through the green shade. The wind smelled of the river, no, it was of the sea. I took the boat bound for Asakusa. I had to attend a meeting in my workplace in Hongo. If I take the subway it would have taken me only thirty minutes: whereas, it took me more than an hour and a half by boat. It was wonderful on the river, completely different from going on the road. Perhaps because I was born in downtown beyond the River Sumida, I am fascinated by the river. Today's update: phtos in the index page (a boat in Tokyo Bay) and here up above (Foeniculum vulgare).

束の間の里帰り。自転車で30分のところに実家があるのでいつでも訪ねられそうなものだが、数ヶ月に一度がせいぜいだ。つかず離れず、行ったり来たり。齢80の母は幸い大病もせず、このサイトを時折見に来てくれる。ごくたまにメールも寄越す。本日は私の娘も交え、一緒にいなり寿司などこしらえて昼食を共にした。庭に一鉢レンゲショウマが咲いていて驚いた。母の張りのある声を聞いて安心して帰宅。こちらの義母もクーラーつけずに夏を乗り切っていく。私もへばってはいられない。本日の更新は表紙の写真（多摩湖堰堤から望む東村山市西部）です。昨日まで表紙にあった桜田門外のお堀写真は縮小して昨日の短信に含めました。

I visited my mother. It takes me only 30 minutes to go to her house by bike, but I can actually go once in a few months at most. We don't see each other very often but we think of each other in many ways. She sometimes visit this website, and sends me e-mails. She's now 80 years old. Thanks, she's fine so far. Today my daughter joined us and we made "inari-zushi"(vinegar flavored steamed rice ball wrapped in fried bean curd) for lunch. I was surprised to find a pot of "renge-shouma" in her garden. I was happy to hear my mother's voice full of energy. My mother-in-law at home is also fine, Thanks! She can live without using the air-conditioner. I can't grumble small things of life, now that these elder women live so neatly. Today's update: the photo in the index page (a view of the western part of Higashimurayama City from the bank of Lake Tama). I reduced the size of the mote of the Imperial Palace which was in the index page yesterday and paste it at the beginning of the previous note below.

\100-DVDフィーバーが続いている。今日は『しゃべれども　しゃべれども』を見た。二つ目の落語家と彼の落語教室に集まる三人の話。東京下町の情景がよい。、ことばを語ることの難しさ楽しさ辛さなどが、達者すぎる少年、無口な美女、強面の中年男、そして若い落語家から伝わってくる。決して饒舌な映画ではない。むしろうまく語れない者達の話。題名に惹かれた。「しゃべれども　しゃべれども」の後に来るのは何ということばか。私自身がよく陥る深い穴。あそこでも、ここでも。夏の空は哀しいほどに明るい。本日の更新は、このページの写真（咲き初める萩の花）です。ミツバチの写真は小さくして昨日の短信に貼り付けた。このスタイル、いつまで続くだろう。

I'm still in the DVD (\100/1) fever. Today I saw a Japanese movie "Shaberedomo, Shaberedomo" (literally meaning "Talking and Talking, for What?") about a young "rakugo" entertainer. "Rakugo" is one of the Japanese traditional arts of humorous story telling. You have to serve apprenticeship for so many years under a master. Three people (a talkative boy, a quiet young woman, and a difficult middle-aged man) gathered around the young rakugo-ka to learn how to talk. They have difficulties in verbal communication respectively. It's a movie describing how difficult it is to express oneself in words. I know how it is like. I talk too much for nothing very often here and there, Oh, the summer sky is too bright for words. Today's update is the photo above in this page (Japanese bush clover: Lespedeza bicolor). I reduced the size of yesterday's photo of a bee and pasted it in the last entry. I'm not sure ow long I can continue this style.

集中的に書類作成をした後、今度は取り憑かれたようにDVDを見ている。近所のレンタルショップが期間限定で旧作に限り一本\100。大きな店ではないので大した品揃えではないが、\100ならという心理が働く。ここ数日で見たのは『オリバー・ツイスト』『ア・リバー・ランズ・スルー・イット』『静かな生活』『珈琲時光』『911』。汽車に乗って遠くへ行く代わりに、脳内トリップだ。日中はピカーッと真夏。雑木林の中を歩くとミズヒキソウが茂り、秋の近付く気配。束の間のブレイクを堪能している。本日の更新はこのページの写真です（林の中で。「ミツバチとミズヒキソウ」）。前回掲載の百合は縮小して記事に付けてみました。ブログの真似です。（^o^）

After working on papers in concentration, I'm continuously watching DVD. At a rental shop in my neighborhood, I can rent an old DVD by \100. Their stock is not large but "\100" is tempting. For a few days I've watched Oliver Twist, A River Runs through It, A Quiet Life, Cafe Lumiere (Coffee Jikou), 911. It's almost like I'm making "brain trips" instead of going on trips in real life. Now it's incredibly hot and clear. Inside of woods, Polygonum filiforme is growing in weeds. It reminds me autumn is coming soon. I'm enjoying the brief break. Today's update: a photo up above (a bee and Polygonum filiforme). I reduced the size of the lily and put it in the previous note (like in a blog!).

なんたることか、丸々一ヶ月このサイトとご無沙汰していた。（友人達から「どうしたの？」とのお尋ねをいただき恐縮しております。）実のところ来る日も来る日も目の前の課題をこなすことに汲々としていた。毎日がやっとのことという案配。（燃え尽きるな〜と自分を励ましつつ。）それに、あちこちで進行する新しい（少なくとも私にとっては）いくつかのシステムを試してみたり。ようやく帰郷できた。各地に豪雨をもたらした開けそうになかった梅雨も、流石に力尽きたか炎天が戻ってきた。暦の上ではもう秋だが、ここは気楽にいこう。輝かしい夏の日、本番はこれからと（多分）。かくも長き不在にもかかわらずご訪問下さいまして、心より感謝致します。（カウンターも戻りました。）本日の更新は表紙の写真（桜田門外から眺める皇居のお堀）とこのページの写真（自宅庭の鹿子百合）です。ウェブには長々と書くより少しずつ毎日というのがいいことに、ようやくこの頃気が付いた。

Completely for one month I have been lost from this website. I'm really sorry my pages were not updated at all and thank you very much for coming to this page again. I've been working hard day after day, perhaps harder than I should have. I couldn't help it. That's the way people grow exhausted and burned out! Caution! Also I was trying several new systems on the web (at least new to me, a slow learner!) Now that the seemingly endless rainy season was worn out: the sun is coming back somehow although it's already autumn by the Japanese traditional calendar. Anyway, let us be positive. We still have glorious summer days ahead (maybe). I'll come back to my website, too. Thanks again for your visit. Today's update: the photo on the index page (a mote of the Imperial Palace) and the one up above (a lily, Lilium speciosum, in my garden.) I've learned recently writing a bit every day is better than a long message after a long interval in terms of the website.

梅雨が明け、きっぱりと夏。炎天に自転車をこいで、市内の「廻田の丘」へ行った。多摩湖堤から八国山まで見晴らせる。多摩丘陵の末端だ。丘の上の畑を耕していた人に「せせらぎの道」を尋ねたところ、「名前ほど格好の良いところじゃないよ」と注意された。しかし、物見高い私は自転車を押して教えられた道を行き、気が付けば深い藪道に入り込んでいた。せせらぎどころか濁った溜め池のような渕があり、起伏の激しい丘陵を自転車担いで踏破する羽目に。人っ子一人いない。汗が噴き出し、自転車は重い。這々の体でアスファルトの道に戻った時にはすっかり息が上がっていた。余り手の入れられていない自然道だった。そのような場所が今なおあることに感嘆する。本日の更新は、表紙の写真（東京都東村山市「廻田の丘」からの展望）と、このページの写真（遊歩道の木槿の花）です。仕事は続くが授業はひとまず終わった。やれやれ。

The rainy season is over and it's clearly summer. I went cycling to "Megurita-no-oka" (Megurita Hills) in my home town, Higashimurayama City. At the head of the hill, I asked the way to "Seseragi-no Michi" (the Lane along a stream) nearby. The farmers told me that it won't be so fantastic as its name; but I thanked them and followed the way I was instructed. Soon I found myself in a narrow lane in the bush. There was nothing like a stream but an old pond, dark and quiet. The lane had steep ups and downs. I had really a hard time pushing my bicycle. Finally I got out of the hill, thanks all perspired and hard to breathe. It was amazing that such a natural (not well taken care of) lane remaining in our town anyway. Today's update: the photo in the index page (a view from Megurita Hills) and the one here in this page (Hibiscus syriacus). I've finished with classes of this semester although other workload is still very heavy. Sigh!

この10日余り、夏風邪を引いて不調が続いている。一番辛いのは喉をやられて声がまともに出ないこと。少し回復したからと言って思わず声を出そうとすると、後から更に悪化する。相手が一人でも多人数でも、自分の思うような声が出ないと、存在そのものが消えてしまうような焦燥に駆られる。本当は無駄なことを言わなくなるので、周囲にはむしろ幸いなのかも知れないけれど。日頃どれほど音声に頼り、無自覚無責任にしゃべりまくることで自己満足していたのか、振り返るよい機会ではある。そんな事情で、いつまでも写真が変えられずにいる。本日の更新は短信のみにて。夏日に憧れながら。

For more than 10 days, I've caught a summer cold. The worst thing is I've lost my voice. Feeling a little better, I start talking and make my condition worse. No matter how many people I'm talking to, I feel impatient if I cannot be able to talk articulately to others; that is I feel my whole existence is lost. In fact because I don't say nonsense, I may make people around me happier. I know now how much I usually depend upon my voice. I'm ashamed of myself being contented with myself by talking aloud unconsciously and irresponsibly That's why I've not been able to change photos of this website. Today's update: this note only. I'm longing for the real summer day.

勤め先のある横丁にアジアンレストランが開店した。たまたまオープンの日に行き会ったので飛び込んだ。レストランと言うより、食堂。開けっぴろげな店内には家族か親戚らしい人々が忙しく動き回っている。ナンと野菜カレーを注文した。お香が焚かれ、壁にはヒマラヤ山脈（？）の写真、お釈迦様の画像。横丁に突如出現した異空間。しかし、待てど暮らせど何も出てこない。どのお客も手持ちぶさた。初日だからだろう、まだ慣れないのだろう、と最初はほほえましく眺めていた私も流石にお腹は減るし、時間は気になる。ようやく料理が配られ始めたと思いきや、「来たモン順」という不文律は通用しないらしい。平気で後から入った客に先に料理が出る。味は、自分で作ったカレーと余り変わらなかった。それでも、学生には割引するし、長居しても構わないし、この食堂、横丁の新名所になるかも知れない。本日の更新は短信のみにて。なんと言っても、大らかなのは良いことだ。

On the lane where our campus is located, in Hongo, Tokyo, an Asian restaurant is newly opened. I dropped in on the first day. It should be called "a diner" not exactly "a restaurant." I found quite a few people who looked like a family or relatives were working together busily inside of the simple open room. I ordered a plate of naan and curry. Sticks of incense were lit and photos of the Himalaya Mountains were on the wall along with pictures of Buddha. All of a sudden, an exotic space has appeared on the Japanese traditional lane! Well, how long did I have to wait before the food was served? At first I was enjoying myself, watching the people working and talking to each other in a foreign language, but when I got really hungry, my patience was almost gone. Moreover, there was not working the "first come first serve" rule. Those who came later than I were served before me! Finally, what I got was not much different from the curry stew I make. Anyway, this place may become popular on our lane. Students can get discount. It's all right to keep talking there as long as you like. Today's update: this note only. It's good to be tolerant.

明日はもう夏至だというのでまさかと思ってカレンダーを見に行ったら、本当だった。ここをピークに日照時間が短くなっていくとは信じたくない気持ちだ。夕刻娘に呼び出され、「リクルートスーツ」なるものを買いに行く。いくら何でも早かろうと思ったが、「合同会社説明会」が来年卒業・再来年卒業の別なく開催されるのだとか。昨秋以降とみに厳しさを増す就職事情。そのど真ん中に活動時期を迎えることになった学年はグズグズしていられないらしい。デパートの店員も「３年生がもう就活ですか？」と驚いていた。通常は秋以降にその年のリクルートスーツ新作が出るとかで、今吊されているのは昨年のデザイン。ゼミの３年生にもハッパをかけなくては。「やりたいことに精を出す四年間」などは最早絵空事か。本日の更新は短信のみにて。ピカーッとした夏空が恋しい。

When I read in a newspaper that tomorrow is the day of summer solstice, I couldn't believe it immediately. I rushed to check the calendar and had to admit it is. I'm sorry to think that daytime will start to decrease little by little from the day after tomorrow. In the evening, my daughter called me to go shopping; she wanted to buy "a recruit suit." (In Japan, students are supposed to wear dark suits for job hunting.) Although I thought it's too early for that, she told me she would attend a joint company information session for those who will graduate in 2010 and 2011. Certainly I know job hunting has been very competitive since last fall; however, I was not very much conscious of the pressure myself in spite that I'm teaching students and I also have a daughter of that age group. The sales clerk of the department store we met today was surprised to know that third grade students start job hunting now. According to her, the new designs of "recruit suits" are usually released at the beginning of autumn every year. We bought a year old design today. In my old idea students could spend 4 years doing whatever they like as much as possible. Probably my idea is out-of-date, to my dismay. Today's update: this note only. I'm longing for the bright summer sky.

関東地方は梅雨真っ盛り。東村山市の北山公園ではここ数週間「菖蒲祭り」が行われている。例年のことながら、ドンピシャで満開に出くわすのは難しい。今年はほぼ八分咲きのところへ行き会った。曇天の元、花々の咲き競う様は壮観。炎天に晒されるより雨模様が似合う花だ。どんなに日頃忙しくしていても、菖蒲田の中に佇むだけで精気に包まれる。どこまで行けば一息付けるのかサッパリ見当もつかないが、四季折々の花の饗宴に接する幸いを今は寿ごう。本日の更新は表紙の写真（北山公園）とこのページの菖蒲の写真です。それと、遅ればせながら先月配信された「翻訳読書ノート44」をアップした。このテーマで先月(NPO「朗読文化研究所」のワークショップにて話しをした。ことばを声にのせる楽しさを参加者全員で共有できたのは嬉しかった。

We're in the middle of the rainy season in Kanoto District, Japan. "Festival of Irises" is ongoing at Kitayama Park in Higashimurahama City, Tokyo. Every year it's not very easy to go there when flowers are in full bloom. This year 80% of the whole stocks were in bloom, which was certainly awesome! Under the cloudy sky, irises were sheerly fresh and elegant. They look much better in rain than in sunshine. In spite of the busyness in my daily life, I was overwhelmed by the sprit of plants standing in the field of irises. Though I have no idea how far I do have to go on until I can get a pause to relax, I was blessed with the flowers of the season at least. Thanks! Today's update: the photo in the index page (Kitayama Park, Higashimurayama, Tokyo) and the one above (irises). Also I would like to upload a mini essay on books of Mother Goose's nursery rhymes on which I gave a talk at Roudoku Bunka Kenkyu-jyo (NPO Institute of Recitation) in Tokyo in May. It was my great pleasure to share the joy of reading rhymes aloud with the participants. We really had a good time. (Sorry, the review is only in Japanese.)

一ヶ月もこのサイトを留守にしていた。気になっていたが、いたしかたなく日々の課題に追われながら。何度か人の前で話しをすることがあった。そのための準備に長い時間を費やし、気が付けばもう水無月。遙かな風景を眺めたいと思うものの、叶わずにいる。それならいっそ小さな世界の奥深くへと、庭の花にカメラを向ける。淡い色が似合う季節だ。よく降る。やっと少し自分を取り戻し、次のピークに備えている。あちこちで聞く「危機的状況」とは、地球の歴史の中ではおそらく無に等しいのだろう。だが人間には先のことは何もみえない。あたかも昨日今日明日だけが存在する時間であるように、じたばたせざるを得ない。咲いては枯れ落ちる花を見ると、循環の一コマとしての命に何の不足があるのかと笑われているようでもある。本日の更新は表紙の写真（花開いた薔薇「ペニー・レイン」）とこのページの写真「蜘蛛を抱く紫陽花」）です。雨に歌おう！

I've been away from my homepage for a month. I had so much to do in spite of my worries about it. (Sorry for no uploading for such a long period!). I had a couple of chances to talk in front of people. I had spent a long time for the preparations. Finally I've been through the tasks and here am I with relief. I've been willing to get a view in a large perspective; however, I can hardly get out of the routine works and the fixed (closed) circuit. Therefore, I've got to satisfy myself taking photos of flowers in my small garden. It's a season in which pale colors fit. It rains a lot. At last I'm feeling at home and starting to prepare for next peaks. Recently they talk a lot about "the critical situations." I wonder what it really means. When we think of the long history of the earth, our worries and troubles are nothing. But we can't see what will become of us at all. All we can do is just to look back at yesterday, endure challenges of today, and worry about tomorrow. Blooming and withering flowers seem to laugh at our disturbances. They just live and die. Dissatisfaction is our disease, perhaps. Today's update: a photo in the index page (a rose named "Penny Lane") and another in this page (hydrangea holding a spider). Let's sing in rain!

千葉県流山市のキャンパスに通っている（武蔵野線で通勤している）限り、およそ「寄り道」という選択肢はない、と思っていた。延々と続く変哲のない関東平野である。時には炎天の江戸川縁で川面を眺めることもあるけれど。ところが、この沿線に今、巨大郊外モールが続々と建設され、中には「アジア一」などというものまで出現しようかという勢いになってきた。あちこちで造成が進んでいるなぁとは思っていたが、何しろ読書と居眠りの合間にチラッと目にするのがせいぜい。余り真剣に観察してこなかった。たまたま友人に誘われて、帰途隣駅近くに出来たIKEAに寄ってみた。凄かった。巨大である。よくぞこれだけと言うほど膨大な分量の商品を倉庫感覚のスペースに積み上げ、客の動線を計算し尽くして配置し、しかも美的なセンスが冴え冴えとしている。スウェーデンの底力と言うべきだろうか。ショッピングするつもりで行ったのではないのでたいしたものは何も買わなかったが、購買意欲をそそられる。それにしても、空間があればこそのディスプレイぶり。茫漠とした関東平野はこのようなコンテナには恰好の土地であったか。あそこに引きも切らず客が詰めかけるとすれば、都心だけが商業の中心地であるような時代ではないと言うことか。キャフェテリア風レストランも含めて、異空間に旅した感覚を得た。車無しで、電車だけという客には必ずしも便利とは言い難いが、工夫すればそれなりの楽しみ方が出来るかも知れない。新開地侮るべからず。本日の更新は短信のみにて。観察の仕方によってはもちろん別の面も見えて来るに違いないが。

On my way back from Nagareyama Campus in Chiba Prefecture, I had no interest in stopping by anywhere for shopping and/or having fun at all because as long as I took the Musashino Line, all I could see was the monotonous plain scattered with sporadic similar towns here and there. However, recently this area has been rapidly developed and new suburban shopping malls have been constructed. (There is one which boasts itself to be the largest in Asia!) I had not paid attention to them very much while I was taking a nap and reading books on the train. I happened to go to newly built IKEA's today. Wow, it was an awesome place! The interior was just enormously spacious. It was full of colorful and stylish merchandise. When I saw the huge floor just like storage, I was almost shocked. They think well of the movement of shoppers. Shopping here seems to be a sort of entertainment. I was impressed with the space more than anything else. The Kanto Plain is a good location for this kind of store. I've heard that the place has been crowded with shoppers since it opened. It is no longer an age when people rush to the central part of Tokyo for shopping. Including the cafeteria-like restaurant, I felt like traveling abroad for a moment. Unless you have a car, it won't be very convenient to go shopping to such a suburban mall, but people are far more imaginative than the world thinks them to be. People know how to enjoy themselves. None can underestimate the power of the newly developed places wherever they may be. Today's update: this note only. Certainly these places have different aspects according to observations. Let's keep watching.

引き続き、エンゲイに精を出す。今度は庭内のこれまで草ぼうぼう状態だった花壇の手入れ。躑躅二株の間にある１メートル×1.5メートルくらいのほんの小さなスペースだ。しかし、いざ始めて見ると草抜きして、土を掘り返して深い穴を掘り、底に肥料とほぐした土を混ぜて敷き、、その上に腐葉土を置いて、新たに入手した薔薇の苗を植え、周りに薔薇土を注ぎ込み、水をたっぷりかけた後、軟らかな土を戻し、最後に手で土をそっとたたく（赤ん坊を寝かしつけるような感じ）・・・ところまで無事に済ませるのは、私にとっては重労働だった。王女のような深紅の薔薇が咲く（予定である）。薔薇の周囲には小花を咲かせるお供の株を数種類植えた。ついでにこれまで庭のそこここに転がっていた植木鉢に、買ってきた花を植え替える。本当は種から育てなくては面白くないが、先ずは手始めに。こんな気を起こしたのは、先日馴染みの八百屋が閉店したことにも起因する。威勢の良いおかみさんと寡黙なご亭主がやっている店だったが、いつ行っても新鮮な野菜のみならず、山野で拾ってきたとおぼしき蔓の細工があったり、珍しい山菜を売っていたり、丹精の盆栽を店の隅に置いていたり、小さな水盤にメダカを泳がせていたりと、行くのが楽しみな店だった。駅前再開発のために引き払わなくてはならないと。「次はどこで？」との問いには「さぁ、そのうちまたどこかでばったりお会いしましょう。」潔いと言うべきか、諦観と言うべきか。別れ際に購入した桜の盆栽が私の荒れた庭には不釣り合いだった。小さな桜の木に励まされて、私も土いじりを決意した次第。八百屋のご夫妻との再会を期して。本日の更新は、短信のみにて。あぁ、黄金週間が幕を閉じる。

I continued gardening. This time I took care of a tiny patch of flowerbed (as small as 1.5 sq.m.) between two azalea trees inside of our garden. However, it was a hard work for me to pull weeds, dig a hole (0.5 cu.m.), put the soil mixed with dressing, pour the special soil for roses, and plant a young rose tree, surround it with more special soil, shower the water, and cover it with the soft soil, and I patted the soil gently. I felt like I was patting the blanket of a bay for sleeping. Theoretically, scarlet small roses like little princesses will blossom. I planted small flowers around the rose like guardians. Moreover, I planted flowers of several kinds in pots deserted for a long time in corners of our garden. (I know I should start with seeding, but forgive me for the shortcut to begin with!) I started gardening because recently a greengrocer's shop run by a cheerful wife and her quiet husband was closed in my neighborhood. It was a unique shop not only with their fresh vegetables but also handicrafts made with dried vine from mountains, tasty wild vegetables fresh in each season, marvelous "bonsai" (miniature trees in small pots, one of the most subtle Japanese crafts in gardening), and medakas swimming in a small water tank, etc. I really enjoyed visiting the shop. They were forced to close the shop due to the development of the quarter in front of a railway station. When I asked where they were going to open their new shop, they said, "Who knows? We'll meet again someday, somewhere." I didn't know whether they were so gracious and courageous or it was the attitude of resignation. However, I decided to make our garden suitable for a small bonsai of a cherry tree which I bought from them when we met for the last time. The cherry tree encouraged me to start off something new related to the mother nature and the soil. I'm looking forward to meeting the greengrocer's again. Today's update: this note only. Alas, it's the end of "the Golden Week Holiday"!

黄金週間である。「今日はエンゲイをする！」と言ったら、家族に「落語？」と聞き返された。門の脇の小さな花壇を生き返らせたいと思っていた。このところずっとセージだけがぼうぼうと生い茂り、荒れ野状態だったので。（野趣があって良いと思いたかったが、いくらなんでも状態になっていた。）広い店の野外植木売り場をぐるぐる歩いていると、「ローズガーデンコーナー」にいた。バラなんて上級者向けの花、初心者にはもっと別の・・・と思いながら、どうにも気になって仕方ない。「ペニーレイン、クライミングローズ」という札に眼が吸い寄せられた。えーい、何とかなるだろうと苗木鉢を二つと肥料、それに「薔薇土」なるものを買い込んでしまった。かくて、私も今度こそエンゲイ入門である。掘ったり混ぜたり水を注いだり、結構な運動だ。一旦始めるとあれもこれもと欲が出る。本日の更新は短信のみにて。これからしばらく土や草木について書かずばなるまい。（お退屈様です！）

We're on the Golden Week Holiday in Japan now. I declared to my family that I will start gardening today. They were astonished because they know well how lazy I have been with our garden. There is a small flowerbed beside our tiny iron gate. It has been occupied by the growing sage. The grass is so tough and looks just wild. I had to do something it anyway. I went to a flower market and found myself in the middle of "the rose garden corner." I said to myself, "Roses are too difficult for a novice like me. I should look for something easier to take care of." However, I couldn't help keep watching one entitled "Penny Lane Climbing Rose." I decided to buy two pots of it with a packet of dressing and a huge bag of soil for roses. Thus I began my gardening lesson. I will be sure to write on the soil, grasses and flowers from now on. Sorry if I bore you so.

あまりの好天にじっとしていられず、また多摩湖にサイクリングした。「５年も待ったのだから」というのが言い訳になる。風強く、湖水は波立ち岸辺に打ち寄せていた。人工湖とは言え、天に応えて白波も立てる。豪快で爽快だった。こういう日には秩父連山もクッキリ見える。樹木のもえ立つような新緑。空の青。この季節は本当に何もかもが生気に溢れて美しい。木立の中からは「ホーホケキョ」と山ウグイスの歌も大分うまくなった。風に心身を洗われて、「いざ生きめやも」と言うしかない。本日の更新は先月アップし損なっていた「翻訳読書ノート 43」です。また刷新した表紙の写真は東京都東村山中央公園の鯉のぼり。このページの写真は多摩湖堰堤から西の方角を望む。白くUFOのように見えるのは西武ドーム球場の屋根です。広大な水辺の景色が嬉しい。

The perfect weather did not allow us to stay home; we went to Lake Tama by bike again. "We had waited for 5 years" is a good excuse for going there frequently. It was blowing so hard that waves were rough and was washing the shore. Although it is a man-made lake, the wind makes the water wild with white headed waves. The scene was so dynamic and amazing. In such a windy day we can see the mountain range far beyond the lake. The fresh green of leaves all around and the blue of the sky; they are all so lively and splendid. In the woods, songs of birds are joyous! I cannot help saying to myself, "Oh, let me live by all means!" Today's update: a short book review (only in Japanese, sorry!) and the photos in the index page (carp-streamers in Higashimurayama Central Park, Tokyo) and the one up above (Lake Tama) in which you can find a UFO-like roof of a baseball stadium. I'm so happy to watch such an huge space at the waterside.

春嵐。天候ではなく、人間界の。ようやく林の中に自生するスミレを何種類かみつけた。そっと近付き、風に揺れる小さな花が静まるのを待って撮る。ようこそ今年も、と思わず声をかけながら。短い命故に愛しさが募る花。"Spring ephemerals"とはなんと美しい呼び名だろう。忘れ得ぬことば。そして桜が豪華に咲き競い、華々しく散っていく。長年の堰提工事を終え、遂に姿を現した多摩湖を自転車で一周した。給水塔を見に来た自転車乗り多数。走っていった先に広がる湖水のある嬉しさ。こころも広くなっていく。本日の更新は表紙の写真（東京都の水源の一つ多摩湖）とこのページの写真（雑木林に咲くスミレ）です。いやはや新学期の忙しさ。落ち着こう。

Spring tempests! NO, I'm not talking about the weather but human society. I finally had time to go into the small woods to find naturally growing violets. I waited, and waited until the wind stop shaking the tiny flowers to take their photos. I couldn't help talking to them, "Welcome back"! Because of their short life, we can't help loving them more. What a beautiful phrase, "Spring ephemerals" is! I'll never forget the expression. Then the gorgeous cherry blossoms demonstrated themselves everywhere in Kanto District for two weeks. Now they are almost gone. After a long-term construction of the banks, Lake Taka has appeared fully again. We cycled around the lake. There were many of those who came all the way to see the brick towers in the lake. What a bliss it is to arrive at the lake after cycling! With the lake, our mind is enlarged. Today's update: the photo in the index page (Lake Taka, one of the water bases of Tokyo) and the photo above (a violet in the small woods in my neighborhood.) How busy I am at the beginning of the new semester! Let me calm down.

一気に百花繚乱となるかと思いきや、季節はここでちょっと足踏み。咲きそうで咲かない桜がじれったい。でも、桜の前に忘れてはならないのが雑木林のカタクリの花。恐る恐る探しに出たら、うつむく花がそこここに。もちろんこれは保護地区である。東村山市の隣、清瀬市中里。空堀川を自転車で下っていくと里山の斜面に群生している。地元のボランティアの方々が誇らしそうに「さあどうぞ」と迎えてくれる。すっかり開いて花弁を跳ね上げた姿も良いが、開く前の楚々とした蕾もいい。どうか毎年咲いておくれと祈る気持ちで花を眺める。カタクリに気圧されているがスミレもいよいよ咲き出した。ささやかな野辺の饗宴。本日の更新は表紙の写真（葛西臨海公園から東京ディズニーリゾート方面を臨む）とこのページの写真（東京都清瀬市中里緑地保全地区のカタクリ）です。花を見つめていると、心の雲が晴れていく。

I expected flowers to bloom all of a sudden in March, but the season has not proceeded so easily. We're now waiting for cherry blossoms. We've got to be patient. Before cherry blossoms, however, we cannot forget Japanese dog's tooth violet (what a name!　Erythronium japonicum in Latin.) in woods. I went out to look for the flowers today. There they were in the special reservation area in Kiyose City, the neighboring city of Higashimurayama where I live. We can go there by cycling along the River Karabori. Japanese dog's tooth violets were blooming on the hillside. Volunteers of Kiyose City welcomed us. Fully grown flowers were very charming but the shy-looking, bending buds were also very attractive. I wish they will bloom year after year! Beside them were smaller, humbler violets starting to bloom too. They were celebrating the secret feast of spring. Viva Ephemerals! Today's update: a photo in the index page (a scene of Kasai Seaside Park, facing Tokyo Disney Resort area) and the photo above in this page (Japanese dog's tooth violets in Nakazato Green Reservation, Kiyose, Tokyo). Watching small flowers, I felt the clouds in my heart were going away!

新品のノートパソコンを持って出かけた。書類各種を持ち歩くより便利かと。メモして帰ってまたあらためて書類を作るより簡単かと。随分軽量になったとは言え、他のものとあわせると鞄はやはり重かった。会合では口角泡を飛ばすばかりで気付くとパソコンは眠っていた。帰りの特急でそっと開き、少し練習してみた。動きは軽い。ネットに繋がっていないから外に出て遊ぶことは出来ないが、好きなことを書き散らすには困らない。でもそのうち疲れて、いつしか自分が眠っていた。もうパソコンを持ち歩く時代ではないのかな。本日の更新は短信のみにて。軽くなるものとならないものと。

I went out with my new laptop PC. I thought it might be more convenient for me to take it out than to bring all the documents in paper, and easier to take notes by PC than to write memos in pen. However, my bag not only with the PC but also with variety of things along with it was quite heavy as a whole. At the meeting today, I forgot about the machine and went on talking; meanwhile the PC went asleep. On my way back, I opened the machine again in my seat. It was very good. I like its quick response. Because it's not fucked to the Internet, all I can do is just to write this and that for myself. Then I fell asleep, tired of the day's work. It's not already the age to hang around with a laptop. Today's update: this note only. Not everything gets lighter.

年に二度は必ず高尾に行く。春秋の彼岸の墓参である。季節の変わり目なので、いつも一寸物足りない気がする。春先は未だ百花繚乱にはほど遠く、秋口は暑さが残る。少し早めだったが今日お墓のある小山に登ると、見渡す限り墓地が周囲の山肌を覆っている。その上の空は青い。昨日までの荒天はどこへやら。ほのぼのとうららか。だが、何かもの悲しくもある。こうしてめぐる季節をやり過ごすうちに何も果たさず終わるのかと、ふと頼りない心持ちがする。線香の煙がどこへともなく消えてゆく。Memento Mori.本日の更新は短信のみにて。

I go to Takao (the terminal railroad station of the Chuo Line in Tokyo) at least twice a year. It's a custom for many of the Japanese (mainly Buddhists) to visit their family grave at Vernal and Autumnal Equinox Days. Because they are at the turn of seasons, we cannot fully enjoy the best of the seasons. In spring flowers are not yet in bloom, and in autumn it's still rather hot. Although today was a little early for Equinox Day, we climbed up the hill to visit our family grave. All around us were hillsides covered with numerous gravestones! But above them the sky was clear after the terrible weather for a week. It was really peaceful spring blue. Well, the pale blue made me a little sad. I might do nothing particular just passing time, following customs and daily chores. The smoke of incense sticks goes up diffusing somewhere. Memento Mori. Today's update: this note only.

新聞やネットニュースではしきりに今日が3.14で「数学の日」だと書き立てている。「数学の日」だからといって、数学者のみなさんに功労賞が贈られるわけでなし、大発見が発表されるわけでなし、数学特需など何もない。円周率が「だいたい3」と小学校で教えられた数年間（何ともアバウトな、呑気な時代）があったこの国に、わざわざ語呂合わせで今日を際だたせるのは何者の仕業か。顕彰とは無縁のところでひたすら思索する数学者の姿を世の人々が知ることなどあるだろうか。「我発見せり」という呟きが誰の耳に届かなくとも真理を突き止める為に生きる人々がいる。すぐ役に立つ数学とは、ちょっと違うけれど。本日の更新は、短信のみにて。明日は晴れると良いのだが。

Reportedly today is (in Japan) "Mathematics Day" just because circle ratio is 3.14 (Aha!) It doesn't mean today mathematicians are to be awarded with prizes, rewarded for their hard work, nor any epoch-making discoveries are to be announced. Nothing happens in terms of mathematics. In the country where school children were taught "circle ratio is about 3" for several years (what an ambiguous and carefree time it was!), who wants to distinguish 3.14 from all other days? I wonder if the world will ever know how mathematicians are deeply in thought away form rewards. They keep studying to prove truths where very few could hear him/her say, "Eureka!" What they pursue is not very useful immediately in daily scenes. Today's update: this note only. I hope it will be fine tomorrow.

いよいよ冬が終わるという時になって、荒天が続く。猛烈な風、雨、霙。梅の里は満開と聞くのに。せめて、ウェブサーフィンをしながら、山の写真、海の写真、花の写真、里の写真を眺めている。幾百の山に登る人々もいる。海を越えて遠くへ旅する人もいる。花を追って歩き回る人もいる。サーキットを出ずに、それらを眺める人もいる。それぞれの人生。それぞれの命。居ながらにして他者の眼で万象を玩味する不思議。ウェブというこの装置の嘘と真を今日も私は飲み込んでいく。本日の更新は短信のみにて。いつかまたきっとと呟きながら。

At the very end of winter, the weather has been extremely rough with the wind, the rain, and the sleet. I can't go out even though I hear the Japanese apricot woods are in full bloom now. All I can do is to go on web-surfing, watching photos of mountains, of ocean, of flowers, and of villages. There are people who climb hundreds of mountains, travel overseas, wander chasing flowers; there are people who never get out of their daily circuits and just watch what others are doing. Each has his/her own life. It's really wonderful to see all kinds of images through eyes of other people on the Internet. I take in variety of truths and lies of this trick again and again. Today's update: this note only. (Surely someday I'll go out again.)

また直に、と挨拶して早20日足らず。いやはや、文字通り三月は去る。年度末の多事多端は師走より余程慌ただしい。未だ花の色は薄く、緑は沈んでおり、風も冷たい。だが、光が違う。橋の上に佇み、川風に吹かれると、心が安らぐ。懐古に浸る暇もあらばこそ。このところ立ち止まりそうになりながら暮らしている。内側の声に耳を澄ますと、大切なことを思い出す。本日の更新は表紙（東京タワーの見える川辺）とこのページの写真（波除神社のしだれ桜）です。滞りがちなサイトへのご訪問、心より感謝致します。

I wrote "See you soon!" and didn't write again for nearly 20 days. Sorry for my silence. In Japan, March is the end of a school year; and so we have a lot to do, lot more than at the end of December. Flowers are still pale, green is dark, and the wind is cold, but the brightness of the light is very different from the one in winter. When I stand still on a bridge, looking over the river, blown in the wind, I feel really relaxed. Although I have no time to indulge myself in retrospection, I am living quite slowly these days. I listen to the call from the inner world, and it tells me what really is important. Today's update: a photo in the index page (the riverside with Tokyo Tower) and another one in this page (weeping twigs of cherry tree at Namiyloke Shrine in Tsukiji, Tokyo). Thank you so much for your visit to this slow website.

逃げる二月の早さはどうだ。明るい光にだまされて、薄着で飛び出す慌て者。小ガモが泳ぐ、小サギ飛び立つ、ぬるむ水辺の楽しい騒ぎ。でも何となく気ぜわしい。時よ止まれと甲斐もなく、呟く我はどこにいる。本日の更新は超短信のみにて。また直に。

February is running away. Cheated by the bright light, I hurriedly jump out in thin clothes. How stupid of me! Small ducks are swimming, little egrets are flying up; the stream is full of small animals. How lively! But somehow, I feel impatient. I wish time to stop in vain. Where am I, grumbling such a nonsense? Today's update: this extremely short note only. See you soon!

ざわざわと風が揺らす咲きたての水仙。群れ咲く花には数が頼み。水際でも花壇の際でもずらり居並んだ軍勢が一緒に揺れるところが見ものである。かくて流山のキャンパスにも水仙の季節が訪れた。群れ集う学生の姿はない。みんなどこかへ行ってしまった。今度キャンパスが若者で埋まるは桜の花の頃。やれやれ、やっと一息。いっそ清々しいがらんとしたキャンパス。色々仕事もあるのだが、花群れをのぞき込みながらぶらぶらと。ふと思うのは、武蔵野線を南流山で降りずそのままずっと乗っていれば海岸に着くということ。灰色にうねる海でもでも太平洋には違いない。日の高いうちに仕事が済んだら、と考えてもう何年過ごしたろう。本日の更新は表紙とこのページの水仙の写真です。明日の会議資料のことなど忘れかけ、ハッと春眠からさめる危うさ。

Newly blooming narcissuses are swinging in the rough wind. They are gorgeous as a host. Narcissuses are attractive when they are all together along the waterside or the hem of a flowerbed. Thus the season of narcissuses has come to our campus in Nagareyama, Chiba Prefecture. There is no more host of students. They have all gone. Next time they get together, the cherry blossoms are to be in full bloom. Well, well, we've come to an end of an academic year. The campus is vacant and clean. Certainly I've a lot to do; however, I'm enjoying a period of relaxation. It occurred to me suddenly, while I was watching narcissuses, that the Musashino Line will take me to a seashore if I keep staying in it passing the station where I usually get off. If it is dreary colored, it is the Pacific Ocean anyway. If my work finishes earlier than I expected, how about going to the seashore? This is what I've been thinking for years in vain. Today's update: the photo of narcissuses in the indexd page and this page. I nearly forgot to finish the documents for a meeting tomorrow! Wake up from the drowsiness in early spring!

明日はバレンタインデー。娘と連れだって某デパートの「チョコレートパラダイス」を覗いてみた。特設の催事場は右を向いてもチョコ、左を向いてもチョコ。一つ数千円もする小箱が個性を競いながら並んでいる。売り子も美形揃いで、いと華やか。その賑わいを取材しようとカメラクルーも来ていた。風物詩といおうか、年中行事といおうか、みんな踊っている。高ければよいというものでなし、高名なブランドといっても贈る相手が知らなければアウトだし、どんな基準でチョコ選びは行われているのだろうか。「これはうまい！」と喜ばれる夢のチョコは、ホントはお金では買えないのかもしれない。心を溶かす甘さは、ハートだけが知っている。（なんちゃって！）関東地方では「春一番」とニュースは盛んに報じていたが、本格的な春はまだ遠い。本日の更新は短信のみにて。どうぞ、幸せなバレンタインデーを！

Tomorrow is St. Valentine's Day. Along with my daughter, I visited so-called "Chocolate Paradise" at a department store in Tokyo. The huge space especially settled for this event was packed with numerous sales counters of chocolate vendors. In the show cases, there were colorful chocolate boxes, most of which were over several thousand yen each! Even sales clerks looked very handsome. The atmosphere of the place was brilliantly gorgeous. I saw a camera crew shooting the bustling hall. The chocolate rhapsody is played yearly here. Women are stirred up to participate in the frantic market. How do they choose the right chocolate for them? The price is not a suitable index. Nor are the brand names. (What if her boyfriend does not know the name of the elaborately chosen brand?) I wonder how women are selecting the best one? I guess what makes men say, "It's really good!" cannot be bought with money. Heart-melting sweetness comes only from love. (Oh, what nonsense I'm writing!) Ice cold wind was blowing outside. The real spring is far yet. Today's update: this note only. A Happy St. Valentine's Day for you!

本屋に行くのが好きで、買わなくても書棚から書棚へうろついているだけでジワッと楽しくなってくる。だがこのやり方は、あてもなくの時には良いけれど、探し求める本に出会える可能性はそう高くない。もう一月も探し回った本がどこの店にもないので、ネットで検索してみた。数秒で出てきた。バーチャルショッピングカートに放り込めば、あと数日待つだけで本は自宅に届く。何だかあっけない。しかもご丁寧なことに「関連書籍」まで紹介してくれるものだから、一冊では済まなくなる。気が付けば五冊も注文していた。「ロングテール」やよし。しかし、ネズミの尻尾ばかり追いかけていると、どこかでドラ猫に食われるような気がする。初めは恐る恐るだったのに慣れてくると大胆に、というのはネットショッピングも同じ。既に十分ネットの囚われ人になっている私だが。本日の更新は短信のみにて。

I like going to bookstores. Whether I buy or not, "browsing" makes me happy enough. It's all right as long as you don't have any particular target; however, this is not the right way to capture a game surely. In fact, I've recently been looking for certain books in vain for over a month. I decided to make a search on the Internet. It took me just for a few seconds. I threw the books into a virtual shopping cart with a click. That's it! The books will be sent to me in a few days. Too easy. Moreover, several other related books were introduced too. Thus I bought five books at one time. "Long tail" is a wise marketing theory but I fear I'll be eaten up by a wild cat someday if I indulge myself in running after rats' tails. At the beginning, we are modest and careful, but soon we get used to anything and go fearlessly. So are we with the Internet-shopping. I'm already captured by the Net. Today's update: this note only.

うかうかしているうちに如月となる。節分を過ぎ、立春を迎えたとたん、光がとても明るくなってきた。毎年のことなのに、「暦の上の春」にすっかり魅了されている。戻ってきた色彩の始めは梅のほのかな白。梅見に行ってみたい。友人が見せてくれた人波の写真を思い出すとたじろぐのだけれど。街の梅はほころび始めたものの、吉野梅郷あたりは今月末が見頃とか。誰もが待っていた花の季節到来とあっては、人出を避けるわけにはいかないと友人は笑っていた。いつもの散歩道に花のシャワーのような枝垂れ梅が一本ある。今日あたりと期待していったら、やはり！本日の更新は表紙とこのページの写真です。長い冬が溶けてゆく。

I was so busy for weeks that I didn't clearly notice the transition of seasons. Now I can see the brightness of sunlight. I'm fascinated with the coming of the new season. The first tint is the subtle white of Japanese plum tree flowers. How I wish I could go to the forest of the plum trees! One of my friends told me that I have to be ready for the crowds of flower watchers too. Frankly I feel a little reluctant to see people rushing to the flowers; however, she laughed to tell me we're destined to see people anyway in this country because everybody longed for flowers throughout the monochrome seasons. BTW, there is a gorgeous plum tree with weeping branches on my walking route. I had expected to see it in bloom. I succeeded in encountering with the best of its blossoms. Today's update: photos of the Japanese plum tree in the index page and here above. The long winter has been slowly melting into spring finally. Thanks!

昨夜遅く、このサイトホームページのカウンターが60,000を超えているのに気が付いた。1997年に始めて12年目にはいる。実質11年間として、毎日平均15件くらいのアクセスがあるということか。自分でアクセスしたものはカウントされない仕掛けになっているので、私以外の方が合計60,000回ここを訪れて下さった勘定だ。世に流行る「ブログ」など、人気のある書き手なら一日で数万件というのはざららしいので、このささやかな数字は比較のしようもないのだが、私にとっては本当に貴重な60,000である。荒らしに耐えかね訪問者が自由に書き込めるBBSを閉じて以来完全に片側通行のサイトになってしまったけれども、ただカウンターだけはひっそりとどこかの誰かがここに気付いて下さっていることを示している。開設当初から、言葉を磨く場所にしようと念じてきた。難しいことを論じるわけでなく、私生活を晒すわけでなく、専門に徹したトピックを扱うわけでもなく、いったい何のためのサイトか意味不明かもしれない。それでも書くのは、名も無き者にも表現の自由がある幸せを放棄したくないと思うから。おつきあい下さって、どうもありがとうございます。本日の更新は、短信のみにて。これからも、続けて参ります。

Late at midnight yesterday, I realized the counter on the home page of this website indicated a few more than 60,000 I have been maintaining this website for more than 11 years.. The number shows that there have been about 15 visitors each day. (My own access is not counted. So 60,000 does not include me,) Certainly it's just nonsense to compare this humble number with eminent blogs which call millions of visitors. But for me, personally 60,000 is so precious and sweet. I disconnected BBS when it was bothered by the troll; ever since this website has been one-sided. Only the counter shows the existence of visitors/readers. My policy of running this website is to brush up my language by writing openly although I never take up complicated topics, my privacy, nor specific themes. Probably visitors might be puzzled by the purpose of this website. I write just because I appreciate the liberty of expression in spite of myself being an unrenowned individual. So I thank you, visitors, for your interest in this website. I'll go on writing. Today's update: this note only.

同じ方向に帰る同僚の女性と武蔵野線の道中あれこれおしゃべりしながら電車に揺られた。二昔前同じ年に産休・育休を取ったもの同士、気が付けばそれぞれの娘は成人した。その分私たちは二人とも歳を重ねた。あの頃と比べて何が変わったのだろう。無鉄砲なところはなくなったかもしれない。悩みが尽きないところは同じ。彼女の軽やかで優雅な立ち居振る舞いは往時のまま。優しい微笑みも繊細な感性も。同じ駅でそれぞれの方向に向かう別れ際に、「じゃ、また」と慌ただしく挨拶を交わし、小走りに自転車に向かう。永遠に続くような気のするこの習慣もいずれは終わる。それまでの間、私たちはこうしていつも忙しがって暮らしていくのだろうか。本日の更新は「翻訳読書ノート 42」に久々のミニエッセイです。春よ来い。

I enjoyed talking with one of my colleagues on our way back from Nagareyama on Musashino Line. Both of us took the maternity and child-care leave on the same year two decades ago. Both of our daughters have become 20 and both of us have grown older as much. What has changed in us compared to what we were then? Probably we are not so daring. But we are still disturbed by various things in life. Her graceful and elegant manners have not been changed a bit. Neither have her gentle smile and sensitivity. When we said "See you!" hurriedly to each other on parting to each direction, I wondered for a moment how long we would go on like this. I know it will come to an end someday. But until then, we'll be in a hurry all the time. Today's update: a short review on a book in translation. Sorry, it's only in Japanese. I wish spring will come soon.

今年度の授業が今日で終わり、試験期間に入る。定期試験に入学試験数回。そして卒業・進級判定会議まで何度も何度も会合が続く。授業がないからといってちっとも暇にはならないので呆れる。私は時々通勤途上の駅に張ってある観光ポスターの前に佇む。雪景色、古い町、海辺の風景、銀嶺、湯煙、それから異国の街角、史跡。新幹線、在来線。遠くても近くても容易く旅情をそそられ、我ながら単純だと思う。毎週の授業から解放される僅かな期間には、いつも漂白の思いにかられてちょっと切ない。ミニでもプチでもよいのだ、列車に乗って旅立てるのなら。それが難しいのが現実。鞄の中には長らく読み継いでいるぺーパーバック。読んでいる間は時空を超えられる。それもまた楽しい。本日の更新は短信のみにて。

All the classes of this school year have finished. Examinations are going to start. In Japan, entrance exams are given in this season. Meanwhile, teachers are very busy with various kinds of meetings. Isn't it surprising if we have no classes, it does not mean freedom? On my way to and from work, I often stand in front of posters inviting us to snowy countries, old towns, flower beds along beaches, mountains covered with thick snow, spas, foreign countries, historical sites, and so on. I am easily fascinated by bullets trains and express trains. How I wish to go on a trip! It doesn't matter if it's a trip to far away places or just neighboring towns. I simply want to ride a train (not for commuting). The reality is, however, I can hardly leave where I am. I always have a paperback in my bag. I can go beyond time and space while I'm reading. I like this kind of trip too. Today's update: this note only.

センター入試の理科の問題にリチウム電池で走る電力アシスト自転車のことが出題されていた。監督をしながら何となくニンマリ。電気自動車の発売も近いと聞くが、アシスト自転車もなかなか役に立つ。ほんのささやかなサポートなのだけれど、軽快だ。問題に取り組む高校生達の姿を見ていると、世俗の憂い無く目標に突き進める若さがまぶしい。あんな時代もあったねと。大学生になれば何かが始まると固く信じていた私の愚かさが無性に懐かしい。隣町の大学で起きた殺人事件に慄然としながら、いやきっとまた良いこともあるさと自分に言い聞かせ、朝を待つ。本日の更新は短信のみにて。

I found questions related to an electric-assist bike in the exam of natural science at The National University Entrance Examinations today. I smiled by myself while I was supervising the test. (I am an user of the bike!) It is really helpful although people of the world might be interested in the release of electric car more. Electricity gives us just a little bit of help, but it is really helpful for me. I am riding my new bike comfortably everyday. Watching high school students attacking test seriously, they reminded me of my own youth. How foolish I was to believe that something good would really happen if only I could enter a university. Later I found out that it was just the beginning of the life and world full of difficulties and challenges. BTW, I am terrified with the murder case that happened in a university in a town next to ours. I am telling myself that something good will surely happen again. Be patient and open your heart! Today's update: this note only.

いよいよ通勤が始まる。二週間骨休めをしたら、すっかり身体が緩んで、肩こりや首の痛みが消えていた。ずっと緩めていたら、気持ちいいだろうなぁと思いつつ、このまま仕事モードに移る方法はないものかと思案している。未だやらなくてはならない仕事があったとしても早寝することが今思いつく唯一の途。「明日は明日の風が吹く」をモットーに、何とかなるさで寝てしまおう。そうして英気を養う方が、キリキリと夜更かしするよりずっと良さそうだ。命あっての物種だし。本日はこれにて。

I'll start commuting again. For two weeks, I was relaxing at home; accordingly, my body has released from all kinds of stresses and miraculously the consistent stiff shoulders and neck pains have gone! Relaxation saves life. I wish I keep relaxing even if I have to work. Can't I keep this relaxing condition hereafter? The only thing I think of right now is that I go to bed early even if I have to do lot more for the next day. "Tomorrow is another day" could be my motto this year. Let it be. I'll take care of my work after a good sleep. It will be much better to sleep well than to work until late at night. Life should come first. Today's update: this note only. See you tomorow!

休止していた街が動き始め、正月気分は吹き飛び、寒さが一気に厳しくなった感じがする。実は、年末から「電力アシスト自転車」に乗っている。これは原付とは違って（充電式の電池で走行補助するだけだから）、自分でこがなくては動かない。上り坂では平地と同じ程度の踏み込みで楽々進む。ハァハァ言って踏ん張らなくてもよい。若者が使ったら顰蹙ものだろうが、この頃の私には助かる。とりわけ、毎朝15分全力疾走しなくては目指す電車の駅にたどり着かない状況では、（また食料品を満載して走る宵の口には）これまで自前で発揮していたエネルギーが大いに軽減されるはずだ。その分を余力として取っておけたら、幾分疲労緩和に役立つのではないか。こんな小さな工夫でも積もり積もると大きな違いを生む、と期待して今年も私は自転車で走りまくる予定です。本日の更新は短信のみにて。

The town after a short break has started moving. The fresh atmosphere of the new year days have gone. It's been quite cold. I've been riding an electric assisted bicycle since the end of last month. It works with a battery. It won't move unless you work the pedals by yourself. Electricity just "assists" you to work. It's quite effective when you climb up a slope. You only have to work the pedals with the same strength you go on a flat road. You won't pant, struggling with the uphill at all! It's not necessary for the young, but for me now it's very helpful. Because I have to ride a bike for 15 minutes with all my power just to reach the nearest train station of the Musashino Line in the morning and mount the heavy food on my way back in the evening, electricity will be a great help. Hopefully I'll be able to save my energy, which I will preserve for something else. I need to do anything to decrease my fatigue for healthier life. The small help will make a big difference in a long term. I want to go on riding my bike this year with a little innovation! Today's update: this note only.

年が明けた。背後ではまだロックグループの「カウントダウンライブ」（ケーブルテレビ）が続いている。幕張メッセに22000人集まっているらしい。疲れを知らないミュージシャン達。叫びながら踊っている観客達。平和な光景だ。戦火の燃えさかる国々があると聞く。いや、この国にもいろいろな波が押し寄せている。感じるかどうかは人それぞれながら。身構えることはないけれど、静かに見つめていよう。本日の更新は表紙の写真（静岡県富戸の日の出）とこのページの写真（素心蝋梅）です。よい年になりますように！ご訪問どうもありがとうございます。

A new year has started. Behind me on a cable TV a "count-down" live concert of a rock group is going on. It is said that 22000 people are gathered at Makuhnari, Chiba. Tireless musicians keep playing and the audience crying out with enthusiasm. What a peaceful scene it is! I've heard that wars are going on in foreign countries. Also at our feet, various kinds of waves are coming. It depends on our sensibility whether we feel them or not. We shouldn't be defensive but we should keep watching. Today's update: the index page with a photo of the rising sun at Futo, Shizuoka Prefecture, and this page with a photo of "roubai (Chimonanthus praecox f. concolor)." I wish this will be a wonderful year! Thank you very much for your visit to this website.