RICKY DLS 英会話 blog

I took Atomo to the veterinarian this morning to have his ears checked. The thing is he has black stuff coming out of his ears. I had previously taken him to two different veterinary clinics but both told me they didn’t know what the cause was. One even told me that Atomo’s ears were naturally dirty and that I shouldn’t worry too much about it … it sounded like a joke but unfortunately it wasn’t. I also consulted an online veterinarian who recommended me to get Atomo on a wet-only diet (this is very popular in the US right now). It didn’t work. I have no idea why the previous three vets weren’t able to find the cause - because my new vet at Motomachi Animal Hospital took less than ten minutes to determine the cause: It’s a yeast infection. I inquired if that was a very unusual condition in cats to which the vet replied NO, it’s quite common! Well, I’m not going to ponder on why it took so much effort to come to this conclusion. The good thing is that Atomo had his ears cleaned today, each ear about ten minutes, and he kept still and didn’t struggle or cry during the procedure, a fact that the vet praised. Actually all of my cats are pretty relaxed and never cry at the veterinary clinic. I guess I have the best cats lol. And I’m sure every cat owner says the same thing lol lol.

私は英語とスペイン語の先生です。

When foreigners first arrive in Japan they are usually puzzled by Japanese English. It sounds like English but the meaning is completely different, sometimes opposite. To give you an example, before I could read Japanese it was really hard to buy hair conditioner! I would go to the drugstore, ask for “conditioner” and get something else. Looking in the dictionary didn’t help either. Until I figured out that in Japan a conditioner is called “rinse”! Other confusing words are “smart” (=slim), “high tension” (=a combination between energetic and nervous) or “shape up” (=get in shape). I wonder how Japanese English came into existence to begin with?

私は英語とスペイン語の先生です。

Hundreds of tourists have been evacuated by helicopter after floods destroyed the only railroad leading to Machu Picchu. Thousands are still stuck there, waiting for help to arrive. That’s probably a bit more adventure than they had hoped for! After I heard the news about Machu Picchu I recalled my trip there many years ago. Definitely one of the most fascinating places I’ve ever been to, if not THE most fascinating.

私は英語とスペイン語の先生です。

Mohan Dish on North 24: great food, great price, great service. I haven’t been blogging about soup curry lately and in case you were thinking I’ve had enough of it - you’re wrong! The thing is I’ve mostly been visiting the same places, basically in the North 24 neighborhood due to easy access in winter. I had dinner at Voyage the other day and arrived there at 22:45 PM sharp, only to be told that it was beyond last order time. I pointed to the clock to let them know that it was exactly 22:45 (last order). The waiter asked me to wait and called the manager. I ended up being served and the soup curry was pretty good for a change so that made up for having to beg for it. On another occasion I went there and the soup was below average, I had Turkish lamb at that time and I do not recommend it. I also visited their sister outlet Picante and even though the food was very good the service was a joke, the waiters got stuck on ridiculous details like where you’re supposed to put your bag, coat etc. Picante just opened their second branch near Odori Park. I guess both Voyage and Picante have become too popular so these days they’re neglecting customer service. On another note, I had authentic Indian curry at Mohan Dish today and both the food and service were outstanding. I even got a complimentary chai.

私は英語とスペイン語の先生です。

Oh no. I’ve been a loyal Royce fan over the years and always try their latest creations. I love their nama chocolates (literally translated “raw chocolates”) and their salty chocolate chips, not to mention their two flavors of ice cream launched last year. But their latest product is something that made my taste buds scream: Canned beer flavored with bitter chocolate. I guess they must have been drunk when they came up with the idea.

私は英語とスペイン語の先生です。

January is strawberry season in Japan and I had my two favorite strawberry desserts today - I know this is bad, no kidding, but I have to say to my defense that I tend to be extreme ie I will eat two desserts in a day and then none for a whole month. Anyway, I love that one Japanese dessert that has a strawberry in the middle, whipped cream around, sponge cake dough on the bottom and all is wrapped in a thin layer of rice cake. I don’t know the name but it’s like a modern version of ichigo daifuku. The other dessert is strawberry sandwich, a layer of custard cream, whipped cream and strawberries between layers of bread, very unique! On another note I saw a young woman today wearing a badge that said “I love diet” and I couldn’t help thinking, OMG, how can these thin Japanese women stand being on a diet all the time! I hate diets. I do believe in mindful eating though ie watching what you eat most of the time, cause sometimes you have to indulge, that’s part of the fun of being alive. Then again, when it comes to mindful eating, in Japan that’s harder than in the US or Latin America, because there we can get almost anything fat-free, be it meat, dairy products, sweets etc. In Japan these days many foods carry the label “low in calories” but that doesn’t do anything for me, that kind of food is often high in fat ie people stay skinny but end up with a pot belly so definitely not the desired result.

私は英語とスペイン語の先生です。

Several bullhooks are slammed into the baby elephants’ skin simultaneaously to make them obey
Have you ever wondered how elephants are made to perform tricks like doing handstands, sitting on chairs, or standing on their hind legs? This is how it happens: Baby elephants are pulled from their mothers while still nursing, restrained by four legs on a concrete floor in a dark barn without windows for up to 23 hours a day to break their spirits. It may take up to six months before the curious, active baby elephants stop struggling against the chains. They are then captured rodeo-style, roped around all four legs, chained by their necks and introduced to the bullhook (see picture). This is called “initial training”. After that follows the “full-fledged training” where they are beaten with bullhooks by several trainers at a time, wrestled to the ground, tortured with electroshocks for several hours every day. The baby elephants scream and struggle throughout the entire training session. The biggest circus of this kind is Ringling Bros. and a court trial against them is scheduled to begin in February. People all over the globe are increasingly becoming aware of what Ringling Bros. is doing to animals and their European tour last November and December was in big trouble. Their German tour was canceled completely thanks to thousands of protests, and so was their performance in Valencia, Spain. Their performances in Madrid and Zaragoza, Spain, were held amidst heavy protests. Watch the slideshow on how Ringling Bros. torture animals.

私は英語とスペイン語の先生です。

Recently we’ve heard a lot of talk in Japan about a place I love: Sedona in the Red Rocks, Arizona. The reason why this charming village has been in the news a lot lately is that singer Namie Amuro and her partner spent their New Year’s holidays there. Well let me tell you Sedona definitely is a charming, magic place surrounded by mountains that look like they’re on the fire. Nestled in the mountains are cozy inns, restaurants and lots and lots of fortunetellers, palm readers and crystal vendors, most of them American Indians. I took a plane there from Phoenix and landed at a tiny airport on top of the red rocks! An unforgettable experience. From there you descend into the village by jeep. I recommend L’Auberge de Sedona, probably one of the nicest hotels I’ve ever stayed at. The restaurant is fantastic as well.

私は英語とスペイン語の先生です。

I took the subway last night and purchased a Sapica card. That’s a rechargable microchip card which can be used for all subway lines in Sapporo. Ten per cent of what you spend is refunded in train fare. Since the card is thicker and heavier than the fragile WithYou card, I am hoping to lose it less frequently … Concerning the Sapporo subway, I have noticed that Hokkaidoans dislike physical closeness to strangers and avoid it at all cost. Subway riders in Sapporo will rather stand than squeeze into a seat where they would have to rub shoulders with the people sitting next to them. This is one of Hokkaido’s particularities and I have also noticed that the people here stand far apart when they talk to each other. No “skinship” to say it in Japanese English!

私は英語とスペイン語の先生です。

Fur-Free and Fabulous - that’s the slogan of PETA’s latest anti-fur campaign. The poster features talkshow superstar Oprah Winfrey, First Lady Michelle Obama, singer Carrie Underwood and top model Tyra Banks, all of whom have declared that they do not use fur. The fur industry is one of the cruelest in the world, with animals being skinned alive, beaten, drowned, and so on. Not only do they suffer painful deaths, they also have to endure miserable lives. Ranch-raised foxes are kept in cages only 2.5 feet square (minks in cages 1-foot-by-3-feet), with up to four animals per cage. Wild animals can languish in traps for days. Up to 1 out of every 4 trapped animals escapes by chewing off his or her own feet, only to die later from blood loss, fever, gangrene, or predation. Every year, thousands of dogs, cats, raptors, and other so-called “trash” animals are crippled or killed by traps. To kill the animals without damaging their fur, trappers usually strangle, beat, or stomp them to death. Animals on fur farms may be gassed, electrocuted, poisoned with strychnine, or have their necks snapped. These methods are not 100 percent effective and some animals “wake up” while being skinned. Watch the video.

私は英語とスペイン語の先生です。