Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Coach Cold-Weather Style

Today, I got an email from Coach Factory. They are having online sale in limited time. While they usually sell mostly bag and wallet, they sell additionally winter clothing and accessory this time.

I am not planning on buying any Coach products for a while, but I'm going to share you what I like. :)

This leather cashmere lined grove was originally $108, but it was on sale for $69.30.
Leather Cashmere Lined Grove

This Heritage Logo Muffler was originally $128, but it was on sale for $73.50.

What do you think?


This is my entries related to my Coach shopping.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/Coach




 Today's Vocabulary
・ limited time : 一定時間、限られた(少ない)時間
     ex) limited time period 《a ~》一定期間
     ex) limited-time special offer 《a ~》限られた時間での特別売り出
     ex) for a limited time期間限定の
     ex) "I thought they were gonna charge us only 20 bucks per month." "I thought so. But they said that was for a limited time." "That's bullshit! I'll call them!" : 「月20ドルしか請求されないんだと思ってたけど」「私もそう思ったのよ。でもそれは期間限定のサービスだったって言うの」「そんなでたらめ言ってるの か!俺が電話してやる!」
     ex) for a limited time only 限定期間中だけ[に限り]、期間限定で、限られた期間だけ
     ex) The offer is for a limited time only through the end of September. 萬カレーは9月末までの限定販売です。

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Searching for Pumpkins for Halloween

Today, we went to get pumpkins for Halloween. We went to three supermarkets. Ralphs was selling pumpkins for $5.99 each, and Sprout Farmer's Market was selling them for $10 for three. I was going to buy them at Sprout Farmer's Market because I bought large size pumpkin for $1.79 there last year. However, this year they were more expensive than last year. We finally went to Trader Joe's. They were selling a large size pumpkins for $2.99 each. I thought it was not too shabby. :)

Tomorrow, I'm going carve my pumpkin. However, I haven't decided which design I'm going use yet. I'm going to show you the photos of my pumpkin carving next time. :)

Monday, October 29, 2012

My Documents Have Arrived

Today, I got an email from my graduated nursing school in Japan. They told me that they have received my application form. I sent these documents on October 16. I thought that it had arrived early.
However, my sister has yet to receive the Coach scarf which I sent to her on October 4. :( She was supposed to receive it within two weeks from that day, but it has been 26 days already. I think it has gotten lost. I hope she will receive it soon. Hmm... Where is my package now?

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Fish Taco

Because my husband had a day off last Tuesday, we went to Bear Flag Fish Company, which is a fish restaurant. Before going there, I read many positive reviews on the restaurant. :) I was excited to go there.
The parking lot only allows five cars to park and was already full at 1 p.m. We parked on the street by a parking meter instead.

The restaurant was filled with many costumers. Many people were waiting in line to order. 

There were many fresh fish. The cashier said they could serve 15 kinds of fish that day. 


We chose clam chowder, three fish tacos and seafood rice bowl.
This clam chowder was as good as I expected, it tasted a little salty though. There were many clams in it. :) 
Clam Chowder 12 oz $3.50
 These were two Specialty Tacos. I was able to choose from 15 kinds of fish. I chose salmon because the cashier recommended it. I added avocado on them. These were  the best fish tacos I've ever had! :) I liked that fresh tomato, and the fish was bigger than I expected. :)
Specialty Taco $3.45 & sliced avocado $0.50

This was a Panco Grilled Fish Taco. I also added sliced avocado. This was also good as well. :)
Panco Grilled Fish Taco $2.95 & sliced avocado $0.50
We also ordered Seafood Rice Bowl. I expected it to come out in a bowl, but it was plate. Frankly, I was not impressed with the taste. The fish was not too bad, but it tasted bland. The rice tasted poor because it was very sticky. I am picky about rice because I eat it everyday. The grilled vegetable was not too bad, but I was not very impressed either.
Seafood Rice Bowl $9.95

I highly recommend their delicious fish tacos but not seafood rice bowl. I had seen their homepage, and they serve taco for $2 every Tuesday, but they weren't discounted that day. I don't know why, but I should have asked them.


After eating lunch, we went to Newport Beach pier and walk around there. There were not too many people, and we enjoyed feeling a soothing sea breeze.








Bear Flag Fish Company
407 31st St
Newport Beach, CA 92663







 Today's Vocabulary
・ a soothing sea breeze : 心地よい海風 

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Requesting Translation of My Japanese Nursing License

Today, I went through the procedure one for NCLEX. I went to post office to send my application form to the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare because I needed to request to translate my Japanese nursing license into English.  In addition, I need to take passport size photos and fingerprints. I hope I will take these within two weeks or so. First, I have to search where I can take my fingerprints.






 Today's Vocabulary
・ go through the procedure : 手続きを行う 

Friday, October 26, 2012

I Have to Think Seriously

Last night, when I put away some of my stuff neatly, I strained my back to a point where I became immobile. As soon as I had acute lower back pain, I lied down and tried to rest. I even felt a severe pain when I changed my body posture slightly on my bed. This morning, I still had back pain, but I was able to go to bathroom and wash my face unwieldy. I stretched and exercised for lower back pain. I need to overcome this difficulty and strengthen abdominal and back muscles to prevent further strained back. Before it happened, I had known deeply that my back pain would come back if I didn't change my life style. I know my lazy life style caused this pain. :(  I have to think seriously how I incorporate exercise into my daily life.






 Today's Vocabulary
・ strain one's back : 腰を痛める
・ to a point : ある程度、いくぶん
・ unwieldy : adverb / 扱いにくい、手に負えない   

Thursday, October 25, 2012

The Work Was to Have Been Done

Today, I learned about infinitive in my grammar class. I couldn't figure out one sentence, and I asked teacher if it was grammatically wrong. Actually, it was a correct sentence. I thought I still didn't know many grammar. :P
This is the sentence I didn't get.
"The work was to have been done, but that seems not to have happened."

I had never used this expression before, so I practiced this grammar and wrote some examples during break time. Then, I asked my teacher if my sentences were correct after class.
ex) The class was to have finished at 10:30, but it didn't.
ex) The homework was to have been finished by noon, but it wasn't.
ex) The essay was to have been written by 10:00, but it wasn't.
ex) My goal was to have been accomplished last year, but it wasn't.
ex) The application form was to have been filled out yesterday, but it wasn't.

I think I understand this expression, and I can use it from now on. :) However, my teacher said this was not common expression. He recommended me that using "should" or " be supposed to" instead of infinitive to be safe.
ex) The class should have been finished at 10:30, but it didn't.
ex) The class was supposed to be finished at 10:30, but it didn't.
Yeah, I know. However, I want to learn any expression. Regardless of difficulty, I want to know every grammar rule because I don't want to misinterpret by lacking knowledge.
My teacher asked me if I was planing on taking college level academic writing class. I told him I should give up continuing to take advanced writing class next semester, I would take grammar class though because I was not planing on entering a university, and it's time to focus on studying for NCLEX. I'd like to take NCLEX next year. I wish I would take writing class and master writing essay. However, I should change my schedule next semester. Hmm... Frankly, I really have a desire to study writing now and I may not be able to resist the temptation... but I should focus on NCLEX for now.
I might say next semester, "My taking writing class was to have been finished, but I couldn't stop studying writing essay."   

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

The Beatles - A Hard Day's Night

I am also familiar with "A Hard Day's Night," which was released by The Beatles in 1964. I wasn't even born in 1964, but I have listened to this song many times in Japan.This song has been using for many Japanese commercial. One of those commercial, which was sung by Sugarcult, was Toyota Ractice in 2006.

2006 Toyota Ractice Commercial





Lyrics


It's been a hard day's night
And I've been working like a dog
It's been a hard day's night
I should be sleeping like a log
But when I get home to you
I find the things that you do
Will make me feel alright.

You know I work all day

To get you money to buy you things
And it's worth it just to hear you say
You're going to give me everything
So why on earth should I moan
'Cause when I get you alone
You know I feel ok

When I'm home everything seems to be right

When I'm home feeling you holding me tight, tight, yeah

It's been a hard day's night

And I've been working like a dog
It's been a hard day's night
I should be sleeping like a log
But when I get home to you
I find the things that you do
Will make me feel alright.

Owww!


So why on earth should I moan

'cause when I get you alone
You know I feel ok

When I'm home everything seems to be right

When I'm home feeling you holding me tight, tight, yeah

It's been a hard day's night

And I've been working like a dog
It's been a hard day's night
I should be sleeping like a log
But when I get home to you
I find the things that you do
Will make me feel alright.

You know I feel alright

You know I feel alright 







 Today's Vocabulary
・ work like a dog : 〔犬・奴隷のように扱われて〕せっせと働く 
・ why on earth : 一体どうして◆whyを強調した言い方 
・ moan : verb / 愚痴をこぼす、不平を言う、〔死・不運などを〕嘆く、悲しむ 


Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Sake Shizuku Lotion

I went to Daiso in Southern California today, and I found they had Sake Shizuku lotion as well as Daiso in Japan. As I mentioned in my previous entry, it is very popular Daiso products in Japan.
Sake Sizuku (moisturizing lotion) $1.50
Some people left reviews that this lotion smelled like sake, which was Japanese alcohol. Because I was curious about the lotion aroma, I smelled it at the store. I thought I couldn't stand that alcohol smell! There was no way to buy it. :(  After coming back home, I checked Japanese review site again. There were over 9000 reviews on it. Some people stated that they had to keep some stock of this lotion because  these were often sold out. It seems that this lotion is way too popular in Japan even though I can't stand the lotion aroma. Many people also stated that after continuous usages, they had less acne troubles, and their skin became more transparent, smoother and brighter than before because sake yeast is good for skin. Hmm... I became really interested in it again. Haha... Actually, I am satisfied with my current lotion, which is the one I periodically make on my own. Still, I am very curious about Sake Shizuku lotion's result. What do you think?




       My Daiso entries can be seen here.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/Daiso


      These are also my entries you might like.

Top 3 Daiso Beauty Products

Top 3 Most Popular Daiso Hair Products

Top 10 Products You Should Buy at Daiso     


Monday, October 22, 2012

Vocabularies that I Have Learned This Semester

I have learned many vocabularies this semester and taken vocabulary quizzes every two weeks. However, I have already forgotten most of them because I haven't used them on a regular basis. My teacher told me these were advanced vocabularies, and we should use them in order to make ourselves sound more intellectual. Haha... I think it is important to know these vocabularies, especially to improve writing and reading skills.
These are what I've learned so far this semeseter.

diverse : adjective / having difference
  ex) You can choose from many diverse option.

apparent : adjective / easily seen or understood
 ex) My grade will become apparent within two weeks.

wherewithal : noun / resources
 ex) I have the wherewithal to hire a lawyer.

participation : noun / one's involvement in something
 ex) My participation in this class will improve my English skills.

multicultural : adjective / relating to multiple cultures
 ex) There are many multicultual supermarkets in my city.

interconnected : adjective / related or connected to something
 ex) Reading and writing are interconnected.

pertinent : adjective / related or relevant
 ex) I need information pertinent to the jobs.

illustrate : verb / to make clear or show as example
 ex) He illustrated how to replace a car battery.

internalize : verb / to incorporate or make part of yourself
 ex) I want to internalize the book.

summarize : verb / to restate and shorten a subject using only main ideas
 ex) We need to summarize the main point.

encounter : verb / to meet
 ex) I encountered my old friend.

discard : verb / throw out
 ex) I think we should discard the plan.

purpose : noun / goal
 ex) The purpose of using your personal information is for shipping your order.

facilitate : verb / to help or aid
 ex) This medicine facilitates your recovery.

ensure : verb / to gurantee
 ex) They ensure the quality of their product.

regardless of : adverb / having or showing no regard
 ex) Regardless of age, students study hard at my college.

empower : verb / to give power to
 ex) Martin Luther King, Jr. tried to empower black Americans.

superfluous : adjective / unneeded or extra
 ex) The company discarded superfluous employees.

expand : verb / to increase the number or make grow
 ex) The teacher expands our ability to write essay.

communicator : noun / a person who communicates
 ex) We should be a good communicators.

premise : noun / situation or fact
 ex) I agree with the premise of this class.

valid : adjective / relevant, meaningful, or true
 ex) He quit the company without a valid reason.

consequence : noun / result or ramification
 ex) He remains unconscious as an unfortunate consequence of an accident.

nonetheless : adverb / but or however
 ex) Nonetheless, it is not all that simple.

guarantee : noun / the assurance something will happen
 ex) There is no guarantee that the doctor will be here tomorrow.

jabber : noun / nonsense
 ex) The teacher told us to go ahead and jabber.

criticism : noun / negative evaluation
 ex) He has been offering criticism of government policy.

disrespectful : adjective / lacking respect
 ex) I can't stand his disrespectful behavior.

discrepancy : noun / difference or disagreement
 ex) There is a discrepancy between the receipt and the items.

disrupt : verb / to create disorder
 ex) He is disrupting class.

stock : noun / the source from which others originate
 ex) We should keep a stock of caned soups in our pantry.

exception : noun / something left out from others
 ex) There is an exception to this rule.

misinterpretation : noun / thing incorrectly understood
 ex) His behavior led to confusion and misinterpretation.

irritated : adjective / impatient or displeased
 ex) I became irritated while he was smoking.

phenomenon : noun / an observable event
 ex) Economic weakness is a global phenomenon.

procedure : noun / series of steps or methods
 ex) We have to follow the procedure step-by-step.

engaging : noun / taking part in something
 ex) By engaging in hobbies, you can improve your skills.

braggart : noun / someone who brags or shows off
 ex) Person who is a braggart irritates me.

bemoan : verb / to express displeasure or dissatisfaction
 ex) She bemoans her mother's death.

degrade : verb / to lower the status
 ex) The situation in the country has degraded.

unconsciously : adverb / not consciously aware
 ex) He kicked a ball unconsciously.

amenable : adjective / willing or cooperative
 ex) I should be amenable to the school guidelines.

interpret : verb / explain the meaning
 ex) I interpreted my class assignment correctly.

willingness : noun / ready to act
 ex) I expressed willingness to learn.

stare : verb / look without moving the eyes
 ex) I am staring at my neighbor's cat.

linger : verb / to be slow in leaving somewhere
 ex) We lingered around the beach until sunset.

apprehensive : adjective / fearful or nervous
 ex) Our dog had an apprehensive look as I was leaving home.

accompany : verb / go with
 ex) My boss accompanied us to the cafeteria.

genuine : adjective / real or authentic
 ex) This is a genuine Gucci bag.

phony : noun / fake
 ex) His attitude makes me think he is a phony.

slouch : verb / drooping posture or not straight
 ex) He slouched against a wall.

slump : verb / drooping posture or not straight
 ex) He slumped in a chair.

clenched : adjective / closed tightly
 ex) My fist is clenched.

text : verb / typing on a phone for instant message
 ex) He texted his friend in class.

vacantly : adverb / absently, without thought
 ex) He stared vacantly at the audience.

chat : verb / talking rapidly and informally
 ex) We are chatting at cafe.

pound : verb / to strike forcefully
 ex) I pounded the pizza dough with all my might.

demeaning : adjective / to lower in status or belittle
 ex) His comment in class was very demeaning.

condescending : adjective / to act superior
 ex) I don't appreciate it when people treat me in a condescending manner.

encroach : verb / to go beyond limits
 ex) He encroached on my right.

subtle : adjective / elusive or hard to detect
 ex) His idiosyncrasies are very subtle.

resent : verb / to feel annoyed
 ex) I resent when he smokes.

distract : verb / to take attention away
 ex) He distract me from my work.

chomp : verb / to chew
 ex) He is chomping down on a snack bar.

aroma : noun / a smell
 ex) I awoke to the aroma of brewing coffee.

permeate : verb / diffuse or spread
 ex) The smoke permeated the room after he lit a cigarette.

munch : verb / to chew
 ex) He munched on hamburgers for lunch.

spouse : noun / a martial partner either husband or wife
 ex) He is married to a wonderful spouse.

buddy : noun / casual friend
 ex) My husband found a workout buddy.

commiseration : noun / to have sympathy
 ex) His commiseration calms me down.

fizzle : verb / to stop slowly
 ex) My energy fizzled out after I was fired.

fondly : adverb / kindly or with pleasure
 ex) She smiles fondly at her baby.

arduous : adjective / difficult
 ex) Painting the house was an arduous task.

scholastic : adjective / academic
 ex) Applicant must prove your scholastic performance.

acquaintance : noun / casual friend
 ex) I have many acquaintance in the U.S.

ideology : noun / a set of beliefs
 ex) He is lacking ideology.

antagonize : verb / to agitate or irritate
 ex) He antagonized me by lying.

civility : noun / politeness
 ex) In that hotel, they treat customers with civility.

decorum : noun / polite behavior
 ex) Drinkers sometimes lose their decorum.

figurative : adjective / representing or symbolic of something else
 ex) He said the same thing in a figurative way.


I've learned 80 vocabularies in my class. Even though I have become familiar with some of them in my writing, I have forgotten most of them. I don't even remember if I've learned few of them.... I can't believe myself! All the studying I have done for vocabularies quizzes are almost meaningless! I've often realized my vocabulary skill is weaker than my peers. Nonetheless, I have always gotten good scores on my vocabulary quizzes. I know I think I should use as many of these in my writing assignments as possible. I know learning vocabularies is an endless process, but I need to keep studying them. 






 Today's Vocabulary
intellectual : adjective / 知的な、知力の[を要する]、知性の(ある)、知能の
 ex) Nancy's an intellectual beauty. : ナンシーは知的美人である。
consequence : noun / 〔行動や状況から必然的に導かれる〕結果、結論、帰結
・ amenable : adjective / 〔指示・忠告・提案などに〕素直に従う、従順な、反論せずに受け入れる
・ willingness : noun / 意欲、いとわずにすること、快く[進んで・積極的に]~すること[気持ち]、乗り気であること、やる気
・ civility : noun / 〔社会的規範を守った形式的な〕丁寧さ、礼儀正しさ、礼節
・ decorum : noun / 〔慣習としての〕礼儀作法◆通例decorums、礼儀正しさ
figurative : adjective / 比喩の、比喩的な、比喩を含む◆象徴的な何かを表現するために使われる形容詞。  

Sunday, October 21, 2012

My Pumpkin Carving in 2011


Last year, I made Jack-o'-lanterns for Halloween. I'm going to share my Jack-o'-lanterns in 2011.
It was my first time to carve pumpkins. Considering that I hadn't had any experience before, I thought I made them pretty well. Don't you think so?

Lit Jack-o'-lantern was very beautiful but was not scary. Haha!

Monster showed up on my wall!
I lit it up, opened the lid, then faced it against the wall. :)


Before making Jack-o'-lanterns last year, I referred to  the photo, which was from October issue of Living magazine.

And I also referred to some pictures from the Internet. It was a character of The Nightmare Before Christmas from Disney animation film.


I bought pumpkins, chocolate eye balls, and carving knife. Carving pumpkins was harder than I expected, but I was excited to make them. I have liked crafting since I was a little.

This year, I'd like to try other design. I'm looking forward to carving pumpkins.

 
      My entries related to Halloween can be seen here.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/Halloween


     These are my entries sharing my Halloween pumpkins.
 Our Halloween Pumpkins 2015

 Our Halloween Pumpkins 2014

 Our Halloween Pumpkins 2013

 Our Halloween Pumpkins 2012

 Our Halloween Pumpkins 2011

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Must Go to Place in Japan - Daiso part 2

While I was reading Japanese cosmetic review site today, I found some products which I'd like to buy in Japan. I became interested in Daiso products. Haha :)

Hyaluronic acid 12ml 100yen
 Hylauronic acid helps to keep skin enriched and moisturized. It has become increasingly popular in cosmetic products in Japan. I'd like to use it for my skin lotion. As I mentioned in my previous entry, I have been making my moisturizing lotion by myself for three years. My lotion is made of purified water, pure aloe vera juice and vegetable based glycerin. I'd like to add the hyauronic acid into my lotion. :) According to the reviews, many women in Japan put it into inexpensive lotion. In doing so, the lotion becomes high effective lotion like a high-end one. I don't know whether it is true or not, but I want to try it because it is only 100 yen. Haha!


And I found other popular product which is moisturizing lotion and called Sake Shizuku. However, according to many reviews, it smells like sake, which is Japanese alcohol. They stated even though they were not happy about the lotion aroma, their skin condition became better than before, so that they keep using it. It is very interesting, but I might pass to purchase it because the lotion aroma is important for me.
Sake Shizuku (moisturizing lotion) 200ml 100yen
 


      My Daiso entries can be seen here.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/Daiso

      These are also my entries you might like.

Top 3 Daiso Beauty Products

Top 3 Most Popular Daiso Hair Products

Top 10 Products You Should Buy at Daiso


 Today's Vocabulary
・ increasingly : adverb / ますます、だんだんと、次第に 


Friday, October 19, 2012

Finish up All Chapters

Today, I went to cafe to meet my friend. We have been studying the reading textbook for six months or so, and we finally finished up studying all the chapters. Yay! We have also studied vocabularies from the textbook. While having studied vocabularies was enjoyable and helpful for me, I have already forgotten some vocabularies. I suggested her reviewing the important vocabularies for our next meeting. So, we are going to use the textbook one more time, and then we are going to use another reading textbook. We have already decided which textbook we should study next. The next textbook is more advanced reading book than the one we have been using. This weekly meeting is the most precious time for me to study and speak in English with my friend.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Request for Some Certification Forms

I hadn't touched the application for NCLEX for two months, but I have been trying to follow the procedure step-by-step this week.
I just made a phone call to the nursing school in Japan that I have graduated from to request some certification forms. I was really nervous because I graduated from the school 12 years ago, and the certifications are really complicated. I was afraid that my school might reject my request. However, they accepted my request nicely. I know making certifications for graduates is school's duty, but I was afraid that I will get rejected nonetheless. I told them that I am going to send the forms to them within a month. I need to make some samples for them to understand easily. I'm going to be busy. However, I didn't work for NCLEX for long times because I was lazy. :P So, it's about time to get moving.






 Today's Vocabulary
・ certification : noun / 証明(書)、保証、認証 

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Our Review on Clarisonic Mia2 - 10 days

My husband and I have been using Clarisonic Mia2 for 10 days, and we have noticed it has been making a big difference in our skin. I have been using it twice a day. I wash my face with foam cleanser in the morning and gel cleanser in the night. My skin became much smoother and softer, and it looks brighter than before. Even though it hasn't cleaned all my blackheads, it has minimized the problem. One day, I touched my husband face and was surprised that it felt as soft and gentle as baby's skin. He uses it once a day with men's body wash. We are obsessed with Clarisonic Mia2. It was pretty costly but definitely worth it.
http://amzn.to/1WgSwYY









 Today's Vocabulary
・ make a big difference : 〔状況が〕大きく改善される

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Must Go to Place in Japan - Daiso part 1

Do you know Daiso, which is the largest franchise of 100 yen shop in Japan? At 100 yen shops, you can buy almost any products for just 100 yen. It sounds similar to 99 cents store in the U.S. I think 100 yen shop in Japan is better qualities even though most their products are made in China. Most of them are worth more than price you pay. I think you can buy some souvenirs of Japan such as traditional fan, chopsticks and other novelties for 100 yen. Once, I gave a fan to my former ESL teacher, who is an American, and he told me it came in handy everyday. :)


I'm going to write what I have purchased there. :)

When my husband went on a business trip to Japan last time, I requested him to get a makeup sponge cleanser. While Americans use a brush to apply foundation, Japanese women typically use a makeup sponge. So, this is made for cleansing makeup sponges. However, I used it for cleansing my makeup brushes. It works really well. The best point is that this is made in Japan! :)
Makeup Sponge Cleanser 80ml for 100yen



This is foaming net, which I mentioned in previous entry. I believe this is must have item for everyone!
two foaming net for 100yen


Do you know Salux body towel, which is made in Japan, has many positive reviews in the U.S.? I don't know if Daiso has Salux one, but they have varied body towels which are similar qualities with Salux one. You should check them out. :) Most Japanese families have body towels. So, this is must have Japanese product!
Body Towel 100yen

They sell almost everything such as foods, stationary, laundry articles, kitchen articles, dishes, cosmetics, clothing and etc for 100 yen. You should go and check them out!


Daiso http://www.daiso-sangyo.co.jp/english/index.html
Daiso Online Store http://www.daisojapan.com/



      My Daiso entries can be seen here.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/Daiso


      These are also my entries you might like.

Top 3 Daiso Beauty Products

Top 3 Most Popular Daiso Hair Products

Top 10 Products You Should Buy at Daiso




 Today's Vocabulary
・ worth more than the price you pay : 価格以上の価値がある
・ novelty : noun / 〔小さなおもちゃや飾り物などの人目を引く〕商品、ノベルティ
・ article : noun / 品物、品目、項目◆同類のものの一部を指す。
  ex) I have never bought a single article of clothing from the store. : その店からは衣類を一枚たりとも買ったことがない。

 


Monday, October 15, 2012

Dream Come True - Winter Song

I know Southern California is almost always sunny, and I have never felt winter here. When I lived in Japan, I hated cold weather because I am sensitive to the cold. I didn't want to get up from bed every morning in winter in Japan. I didn't like feeling chilly wind on the way to work. I wanted to stay in front of  a heater. However, I miss cold weather in Japan now. I want to see falling snowflakes and wear a down jacket, gloves, scarf, and long boots. I think if I were in Japan, I would enjoy cold weather more than before. I know I live in one of the most pleasant climate in the world now, but I recall enjoying the changing in seasons in Japan with a happy memory.

This song, Winter Song, was released by Dream Come True, which is a Japanese pop band, in 1994. My sister loves Dream Come True and often went to their concerts.




Lyrics

The dusk is gaining ground, lights flicker all around
And as I walk the lonely streets, the snow is falling ever faster
Looking to the sky, I wonder where you are,
The way you came into my life, filling every day with laughter

Almost blinded by the snowflakes on my face

Despite the chill I feel the warmth of your embrace
Intoxicated now, I stagger like a fool
I feel that surely I could float away

I want to show you everything I see, the way I'm feeling

I need to be with you tonight, to hold your arms around me
My love for you is deeper than the deepest snows of winter
The greatest gift I ever had was you.

This sparkling crystal world, this magic winter land,

If I could share it all with you, and make-believe forever after

Like a blanket over everything in sight,

<a href="http://www.3131.info/Dreams+Come+True/WINTER+SONG/">WINTER SONG 歌詞<a> - <a href="http://www.3131.info">J-POP 歌詞<a>

In the hush I hear the silence of the night
The snow has covered all the streets we walked along
I hope you still remember me tonight…

I want to show you everything I see, the way I'm feeling

I need to be with you tonight, to feel you all around me
My love for you is deeper than the deepest snows of winter
The greatest gift I ever had

Can't remember feeling this way before

Do you know, do you understand what's going through my heart
Well the way that I love you, I just hope you feel it too,
Tonight wherever you are…

I want to show you everything I see, the way I'm feeling

I need to be with you tonight, to hold your arms around me
My love for you is deeper than the deepest snows of winter
The greatest gift I ever had was you,
The greatest gift I ever had was you.

This is my song for you…







 Today's Vocabulary
・ sensitive to the cold : 寒さに弱い
・ chilly wind : ひんやりした風
・ pleasant climate : 気持ちの良い気候、心地良い気候
・ dusk : noun / 夕暮れ、たそがれ
・ gain ground : phrasal verb /優勢になる
・ ever faster : かつてない速さの
・ you came into my life : あなたが私の人生にかかわるようになる
・ laughter : noun / 笑い(声)、楽しそうな表情
・ almost blinded by : ~に目がくらみそうになる
・ despite : preposition / ~にもかかわらず、~をよそに
・ embrace : noun / 抱擁
・ Intoxicated : adjective / 陶酔して、夢中になって、ウキウキして、興奮して
・ stagger : verb / 〔倒れそうなほど〕よろめく、ぐらつく、ふらつく
・ float away : 流れていく、漂う
・ sparkling : adjective / きらめく、キラキラ光る
・ make-believe : 空想、〔子どもなどの〕見せ掛け、ふり
・ forever after : 永遠に
・ in sight : 間近に
  ex) I have the target in sight right now. : 今、目標が間近に迫っている。
  ex) The bottom is in sight. : 景気の底が見える。
  ex) There is no end in sight. : 終わりが見えない、終わりは間近ではありません。
・ hush : noun / 静けさ、静寂 ◆騒動の後の 
・ the way I feel : 私の思い、私の気持ち

   



  

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Pain Relief Medicine

Today, I had severe menstrual pain. I should have taken pain relief medicine as soon as possible. I skipped breakfast today, so I wanted to avoid taking pain relief medicine with an empty stomach because it leads to gastritis. I was waiting for my husband to come home, and I was going to have lunch and take the medicine after that. However, the pain was getting worse. Then, I took stomach medicine and pain relief medicine. I was suffering from severe pain for 20 minutes, but the pain wasn't relived at all. I didn't feel well, and my face became pale. I felt nauseous and ended up throwing up. I am usually afraid of throwing up, and it happens once in a blue moon. Because I throw up pain relief medicine, I thought my pain would never go away. I looked for a soothing suppository, which I brought from Japan, and I used it. I've known the medicine was very strong. 10 minutes later, I was able to experience a reduction in pain. I use pain relief medicine regularly for period pains, and the pain I experienced today was one of the most severe pain I've ever had. I know if I take the medicine before the pain begins or becomes severe, I can control the pain. However, I was too late to take the medicine today.
Now, I feel like I am in heaven. :)






 Today's Vocabulary
・ feel nauseous : 吐き気がする、むかつく
・ throw up : phrasal verb / 嘔吐する
・ go away : phrasal verb / 消えうせる、〔問題が〕なくなる[解決する]
  ex) The shock simply doesn't go away. : そのショックがどうしても消えない。
・ soothing suppository : 鎮痛製座薬
・ experience a reduction in pain : 痛みが軽減する
・ period pain : 生理痛
 

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Amazing Feat

 Recently, I have known Shinya Yamanaka, who has accomplished an amazing feat. He is a Japanese physician and researcher of adult stem cells. In this month, he received the Nobel Prize for the discovery that mature cells can be converted to stem cells. I believe this discovery will effect medical development significantly. Many disorders which have never been cured so far may be cured by this amazing discovery. I've seen the Japanese news, and one member of Yamanaka's research group said that they have already become successful at renewing nerve cells, which was considered to be impossible to regenerate, and cured spinal cord injury in monkeys and mice using iPS cells. I was very impressed. In addition, he said that they were considering to adopt this treatment to human body within five years.
When I heard the name of Shinya Yamanaka, I thought I had heard his name before. I worked at a hospital which was affiliated with the Kyoto University hospital, where Yamanaka works for. I was working as a nurse at VIP ward in the hospital for four years, and I've seen many famous people such as actor, actress, politician, CEO, architect, lawyer, and doctor there. I'm not sure if I've met him there, but I was always inspired by those successful people.






 Today's Vocabulary
・ feat : noun / 〔技能や想像力などに優れた〕妙技、業績
・ adult stem cell : 成体幹細胞
・ mature cell : 成熟(した)細胞
・ convert : verb / 〔性質や形が別のものに〕変形[変質]する、〔機能や用途などが〕変わる、転換する
・ convert to : ~に変換する、~に転換する、~に変える、~に切り替える
・ stem cell : 幹細胞
・ regenerate : verb / 《生物》〔組織などが〕再生する
・ ward : noun / 病棟
・ be inspired by : ~に刺激[触発]される
・ successful people : 成功した人達
 




Friday, October 12, 2012

Coach Wallet and Kate Spade New York Wallet

Last week, I ordered Coach Peyton Embossed Patent Zip Around wallet for my sister. As I mentioned in previous entry, that was the last time for her to purchase from Coach Factory.
When I saw it online, the surface didn't look shiny. However, it actually has enamel surface. There is a difference between online photo and the real wallet, it is very stylish though. I asked my sister if she likes it because I should return it if she doesn't want it.







I wanted the same one because this design was very stylish, but I had already decided to purchase from Kate Spade New York for the next my wallet some day.

These are some of Kate Spade New York wallets, and I'd like to get one if I find a good deal.
primrose hill nisha $198

signature spade leather lacey $158 (was $218)
spotted floral lacey $158
 
 
 



This is my entries related to my Coach shopping.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/Coach








Thursday, October 11, 2012

Raining Day

Yesterday, I sent an email to my sister that I hadn't had a chance to use my new rain boots and umbrella. I usually wear tank top, cardigan, scarf, jeans, and flat shoes. I love the weather of Southern California, but I sometimes feel bored with my fashion. I know it hardly rains in Southern California.
However, it rained this morning. Yay! My wish came true! Because of raining, it was cold today. I was also able to wear my sweater.
I had never enjoyed raining days before, but now I look forward to the next raining day. :)

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Misinterpreting the Assignment

Today, I realized I am a careless person. I used to believe that I was a detail-oriented and diligent person. However, I interpreted today's assignment incorrectly. I thought today was the day I needed to hand in only my draft essay, and the final draft was going to be handed in the following day. Actually, I was supposed to hand in both of them today. :( While I was taking a break during my class, I looked over the syllabus of the class and accidentally noticed my misinterpretation. I had a bad day coupon, which my teacher gave to us in the first day of this semester. This coupon entitles the student to submit one assignment late. However, there are exceptions, so we can not use it for some assignments. I told her about my misinterpretation, and asked her whether I may use the bad day coupon for it. She understood my confusion and allowed me to send the assignment to her by email today. I was really relieved because the assignment accounts for one of the greatest point of the entire grade in this class. While the draft essay I handed in today was 10 point, the final draft I sent her by email was 65 point. As I wrote in previous entry, our class assignments are various and complicated. In the first day of this semester, I knew I needed to be very careful for all assignments because they were very confusing.
Anyway, I deeply appreciated for her understanding, and I promise it won't happen again.






 Today's Vocabulary
・ detail-oriented : adjective / 細かいことにうるさい、細部重視の、細部に気を配って、きちょうめんな
・ diligent : adjective / 勤勉な、熱心な、精を出す、精勤する
・ the following day : 次の日、翌日
・ entitle : verb / ~に資格・権利を与える
・ account for : phrasal verb / ~の割合を占める、~から成る、~を構成する
  ex) ・This product accounts for 50% of the company's revenue. : 会社の収入の50%がこの製品で占められている。


Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Study for Vocabulary Quiz

I'm going to have vocabulary test tomorrow. I need to learn those definitions, part of speech and usage for the test. While I want to improve my vocabulary skill, I want to resist studying for vocabulary test. When I was in grade school in Japan, I disliked studying Chinese characters. The process was just practicing with writing on paper as many times as I could. Yeah, it was not fun for me. Now, I feel like studying English vocabularies is almost similar to studying Chinese character. Of course, remembering English vocabularies is much harder for me. I know I need to learn more advanced vocabularies. :) Okay, I should study now.

Monday, October 8, 2012

Must Go to Place in Japan - Lattice

When I lived in Japan, I used to buy accessories at Lattice, which you can buy most of their accessories for 300yen. Their accessories were very stylish and reasonable. Frankly, their products don't last very long. They do seem tarnish over a period of time. So, I think you can wear their trendy accessories temporarily. Even despite how long they last, I was always satisfied with them for their price. I'm going to show you their accessories. :)

1 pair of earring for 315yen

1 pair of earring for 315yen

1 pair of earring for 315yen

3 pair of earring for 315yen

1 pair of earring for 315yen

1 pair of earring for 315 yen

necklace for 315yen

necklace for 315yen

 necklace for 315yen
bracelet for 315yen
barrette for 315yen

rubber band for 315yen

rubber band for 315yen

headband for 315yen
snood for 1050yen

scarf for 1050yen
Lattice is located all over Japan. I used to live in Osaka for five years. I often would go shopping to Tennouji Mio, which is a huge mall and has many diverse stores for specifically for women. I'm going to introduce my favorite stores in Tennouji Mio next time. :)


These are some locations of Lattice.

 *Tokyo :
B1F Sunshinecity 3-1 Higashiikebukuro Toyoshima-ku Tokyo Japan
6F Luminest Shinjuku 3-38-1 Shinjuku Shinjuku-ku Tokyo Japan

 *Osaka :
1F Tennouji Mio 10-39 Hidenincyo Tennouji-ku Osaka-shi Osaka Japan


                  



 Today's Vocabulary
・ tarnish : noun /  曇り、変色◆金属などの表面の
・ tarnish :  verb / 〔金属などの表面が〕曇る、輝き[光沢]を失う、変色する、色あせる
・ over a period of time : 長年にわたり、ある期間にわたって