Monday, July 9th    “Bowling”

I went bowling the other day.  It had been 10 years since I last went.  I remember at that time I got a score around 140.  This time my score was so bad I couldn’t believe it.  It was like the score of a child.  I’m too embarrassed to tell you what the score was.  Maybe I should play in the kids section next time with bowling bumpers.  

I also pulled some muscle while playing.    I really felt old!!  Last week, I went swimming and I broke my eardrum and I also caught a cold.   This week I pulled a muscle playing bowling.  I wanted to go hiking this summer but I would probably fall off a cliff and die.  I should really consider what I can and can’t do.  

I’m just joking about that.  We can’t always be thinking about what we can’t do.  We just need to do it.  I think we will age faster if we are always worried about things.  Sometimes, we just have to say, “what the hell” and give it our best shot. 

Wednesday, July 11th “Summer Festivals 2018!”

Summer is a great time to enjoy Japanese Summer Festivals.   There are many festivals planned for July and August.  In July, there’s Nagoya Port Festival (July 16th), Gion Festival of Kyoto (July 20th ~22nd), Toyota City’s Oiden Festival (July 29th).  Actually, I’ll be able to go to Toyota’s Oiden Festival this year because my student gave me the tickets.  I’m extremely thankful for this.  It’ll be my first time to see it in Toyota.  The festival is supposed to have 10,000 fireworks!!  That’s really amazing!  The climax is a show called Niagara Falls.   I put up a You Tube video of it, check it out.  I didn’t see it because I don’t want to spoil my experience.  😜

In August, I used to go to Meijimura (宵の明治村) .  I can still remember the really nice atmosphere of Meijimura during sunset.  There are many things to do there.  I especially like eating shaved ice and listening to some jazz on the lawn in front of the stage.  If you put on a Yukata, ladies can get in for free!  Men still have to pay though.  It’s still nice.  Definitely worth going!  I’ll be going there this year as well.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDDu6DU6SzE

Friday, July 13th  “Working Out”

I wish I had time to go to the gym.  The reality is I can’t find time at all.  Therefore, I try to work out at home or at the office whenever I have spare time.  Most of the time I do squats because it works out the legs which are the biggest muscle in your body.  I sometimes do push ups and sit ups as well.  The problem is that I mostly work out the front of my body and not my back.  I tend to have bad posture because my front is heavier than my back.  It’s really hard to work out your back muscles.  The best way is to do pull ups but there’s nowhere I can do that because I can’t find any bars I can hang from.    I really want a bar that I can hang from.   If you find nice bars (not the place where you drink), please let me know so I can go hang around.  😝

push ups  「腕立て」

sit ups 「腹筋運動」

pull ups  「懸垂」

bars 「鉄棒」