day off

Today I took it easy without doing anything.
Actually I did my homework a little.
Except for that, I didn't do anything, just ate something and vaguely looked for something on the Internet.

So I could recharge my battery!!!!
I plan to buy some costume for Halloween Party tomorrow.
It may be my first and last time to take part in Halloween Party.
I'm looking forward to the party.

Ayumi*

[Today's]
steps: 0
breakfast: orange and cranberry cake
lunch: zucchini cake
dinner: fajita

PASSION

How many times I heard the word, 'passion'?

Today I went to the lecture after school.
The speaker is Mr. Junki Yoshida, the CEO of Mr. Yoshida's Marinade & Cooking Sauce.
He is one of the most famous Japanese in the U.S.
He said, "Anyway Passion!!!!"
I heard a lecture before like today's.
I heard from Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham, who are architects and have succeeded in Japan.

Anyway I enjoyed this lecture and I learned from him.
Also fortunately I got Mr.Yoshida's Marinade & Cooking Sauce and shook hands with him.

I wanna appreciate that my friend invited me.
Thanks!!!

Ayumi*

[Today's]
steps: 15040
breakfast: cereal with low fat milk
lunch: rice ball(Shigureni)
dinner: Thai food(at THAI GINGER in Seattle)

Nicaragua

Do you know 'Nicaragua'?
What do you think this word is?

The answer is the name of one of the countries in Central America.
I heard this country from one of my teachers.
Also that's a new country to me.
All over the world there are many countries I have never heard.
I wanna visit as much countries as possible.
I wanna experience many cultures in the whole world.

Ayumi*

[Today's]
steps: 18138
breakfast: cereal with low fat milk
lunch: left over
dinner: 2 loaf of a pig in the blanket(sausage bread)/salad(apple, grape, raisin, celery, marshmallow and cream)

Obama

President Obama will come to UW tomorrow.

Some of my students will skip his class and listen to his speech.

It may be our first and last time to see him directly.

I decide not to go.

... but anyway should I go??

Ayumi*

[Today's]

steps: 10136

breakfast: cereal with low fat milk

lunch: fajita

dinner: brown rice/saute of beef, cauliflower and string beans/orange and cranberry cake

Ultimate Frisbee

I played like ultimate Frisbee with my friends today.
Today it was much warmer than everyday and so I sweat, but it was good exercise for me.
I want my spied shoes and some sportswear although I want to save money for trip.
I wanna play more!!!!
Anyway I love ultimate Frisbee!!!!

[Today's]
steps: 20123(!!!)
breakfast: cereal with low fat milk
lunch: rice ball(Shigureni)/salad
dinner: 2 pieces of pizza/pineapple upside-down cake

Fun Fun Fun

Today I hung out with friends whom I hardly talked with.
We played with Frisbee  and went to downtown Bellevue to go shopping.
They are very exciting and so I wanna get along with them well:-)

Also I received 2 letters!!!!
Thank you soooooooo much, Aunt Mikiko:)
And mom, please give my best regards to my grandparents.
I'm pleased that you sent me a letter.
Really really thank you very much.

Aunt Mikiko,
I have already been to the first Starbucks Coffee in Seattle and I bought a tumbler that is sold only in this shop.
However I think taste is almost same as in Japan.

Ayumi*

[Today's]
steps: 14904
breakfast: no
lunch: gyu-don/vegetable saute
dinner: baked potatos/meat sauce(it's different from spaghetti's sauce.)

all day at home:)

Today I did my homework test and made a presentation on a volunteer organization, "habitat for humanity".
Also I made tomorrow's lunch.
This time I tried to make "Shigureni."
It's my first time to cook and I have hardly eaten it.
I was tasting it to see... it was so-so because it is too salty and too sweet.

This is my tomorrow's lunch, rice, "Sigureni" and vegetable saute.
Next time I will try to make whatever is more photogenic.

Ayumi*

[Today's]
steps: no record
breakfast: English maffin(ham/cheese/egg)/mandarine
lunch: chicken saute/ vegetable saute(zucchini/cauliflower/corn/carrot)
dinner: fajita(ファヒータ:mexican food)/salad/pineapple upside-down cake

Picasso

Today I went to a Pablo Picasso exhibition at Seattle Art Museum.
There are a lot of pieces, not only paintings but also studies, photos and also sculptures.
I love his sculptures.
I can't tell you well why I prefer his sculptures to his other pieces, but I think sculptures are simpler than others.
However someone who placed the sculptures is indifferent to how the light makes shade.
And so thoughtess shade makes those attraction reduce.
I am interested in light and shade and so always watch how light makes shade.
Actually today I found lovely shade.












Don't you think so??
When I visited seoul and went to Leeum(Samsung Museum of Art), they care a lot about how the light makes shade.
It is one of my most inforgettable museums I have ever visited.

Oh!!! It is already 1:00am.
I have to go to bed right away because I have a lot of work I have to do such as cooking, cleaning and also studying...

So, Good night and see you tomorrow:)

Ayumi*


[Today's]
steps: 15784
breakfast: open sandwich(ham/cheese)
lunch: sandwich(ham/cheese/lettuce)/clam chowder
dinner: roasted chicken/meat ball(chinese)/salad/rice/rissoto/apple pie/cake/ice cream

a home away from home...

Do you have a home away from home?

Actually I have.
I think it's some of my friends.
We don't always meet together but they make me feel at home when we meet.
I can talk to them almost all about myself.

I mean "a home away from home" is whatever/whoever/wherever makes me feel at home.

Ayumi*

[Today's]
steps: 11165
breakfast: cereal with low fat milk
lunch: teriyaki chicken with rice(in Boom noodle with my friends/ It's not Japanese 'Teriyaki' taste. It's more similar to 'Mitarshi' taste. Also it's too big for me.)

dinner: meat ball/ some salad/ bagel/ cookie(in a talk time)


Dear dad,
I also found that application yesterday and got it, but I have never seen "TED" with iPad.
About J.J. Abrams, we can watch with Japanese subtitles.
It makes us understand easily.
And I watched "JAWS" once with you and mom.
However I never wanna watch it.
Of course I know Philippe Starck.
He designed a famous sculpture on the building in Asakusa.
I will check that video soon.

Practice

Do you know 'TED.com'?
In this site there is a lot of video that some of the world's finest speakers share their ideas.
It is a good materials for me to practice listening.
I think this is the most interesting lecture I have ever seen in this site.

I have never seen 'Star Trek' or other movies that J.J. Abrams directed/produced/wrote.
His lecture is so interesting and so I wanna watch them.

Ayumi*

[Today's]

steps: 6828

breakfast: cereal with low fat milk

lunch: risotto(left over)/ Brussels sprout/ cauliflower/ mandarine/柿の種

dinner: BLT sandwiches/ boiled corn/ corn chips/ vanilla ice cream with chocolate fudge sauce

Cooking

Since I came here I'm more interested in cooking than before.
I wanna make many kinds of dishes.
The other day I tried to cook rice.
So I will try to make 'Shigure-ni'!!!
Also I'll try dry curry.

Please look forward to some pictures :D

Dear Aunt Miwako,
I don't think it is the obligation.
I just wanted to reply to your comments.
Please don't worry about me:)

Ayumi*

[Today's]
steps: 8097
breakfast: cereal with low fat milk
lunch: sandwiches(boiled egg/ pickles/ mayonnaise)/ mandarine/ 柿の種
dinner: risotto/ boiled Brussels sprouts/ fried sweat potato(I love that :)

1 month and a day

Today I will reply all of the comments.
At first I'm so sorry to reply you late.

Dear uncle Yoshikazu,
Thank you for searching the falls.
I don't know that drama and also searched as soon as you send me a comment.
However it's not where I visited.
I want to go there if possible.
And I will send you mails again:)

Dear dad,
Yeah!!!
I will bring back many I go back to Japan.
I also love that snack:D
And I was surprised at small figure of your footprint.
I have to cut down my carbon footprint....

Dear aunt Miwako,
I am glad for your comments!!!!
Thank you so much.
For global environment we all should think about our behavior and take action from small things.
We have to do what we can do.
And I am good friends with Mana.
I agree with your idea, "It's a small world"!!!!!!
At least 4 students in my program are the friends of my friends.
Really really small world!!!!
I bought 'TAMANISHIKI 玉錦'.
It is based on 'KOSHIHIKARI', so it's not bad.
I will try 'NISHIKI' or 'KOKUHO' next time.
Thank you.

美紀子おばちゃま
コメント、ありがとうございます。
写真blogにもちゃんとアップしますね。
もし良かったらまたコメントよろしくお願いします。
そして、文人おじちゃまにも、どうぞ宜しくお伝えください。

Dear mom,
I wanna read your blog in English.
I look forward to your blog:)


Truly yours,
Ayumi*


[Today's]
steps: 11333
breakfast: cereal with low fat milk
lunch: fried rice(egg/ onion/ pieces of dried bonito)/ mandarine/ 柿の種(my mom send me. my friend from Korea said he likes it!!)
snacks: OATS N' HONEY
dinner: cheese sandwiches/ NISSIN CUP NOODLE/ zucchini cake

1 month has passed...

It has been 1 month since I came here.

Time has passed like a flash.

I wanna make more friends.

I gotta speak in English more.

I gotta study English for TOEFL.

I have a lot of things I have to do.

I still have more 11 months.

I don't wanna regret not doing something.

I will try everything what I wanna do.

I gotta make use of the chance to do what I can't do in Japan.

I wanna enjoy studying and doing other things.

Ayumi*

[Today's]

steps: 8266

breakfast: cereal with law fat milk

lunch: corn soup with rice(like resotto)/ mandarine

dinner: pork saute(spicy)/ baked mashed potato/ brussels sprout(with butter)/ zucchini cake(made of zucchini, carrot, apples and white carrot?)

:-)

Today I enjoyed relaxing at home.

I woke up at 10:30.

Then I watched TV, searched something on the Internet and cooked.

I cooked rice with a pan.

It's my first challenge but I didn't fail it:)

It is ......芯が少し残っちゃった。

I don't know how to say it in English;;

Better luck next time!!!!

And today I had dinner with my host mom's friend and her son, because my host mom went out to her daughter's birthday party and invited me to their dinner.

It is a good time for me because today I hardly spoke in English.

Ayumi*

[Today's]

steps: no record

breakfast: cereal with low fat milk

lunch: mashed potato(a lot)

snack: corn chips

dinner: beef(like corned beef)/ broccoli/ pasta with genovese/ vanilla ice cream with cookie

5 months

Actually today we didn't eat ra-men.

Well, to be accurate, we couldn't eat ramen....

The shop we wanted to go is open from 5:00 to 9:30 and we went at noon.

It takes 30 min from downtown Seattle by bus.

Next time I will go for dinner.

So, we went other restaurant.

We noticed that it's Japanese restaurant when we looked at the menu.

Then I ate udon :)

It is like miso soup and good but salty;;

Then we went to Uwajimaya.

I could buy KOME and SUSHIZU!!!

I will cook something Japanese tomorrow:D

Ayumi*

[Today's]

steps: 19456

breakfast: OATS 'N HONEY

lunch: udon (miso soup/ smoked salmon/ wakame/ negi)

dinner: corn bread

Dearest Shun-ichi Onichama,

I'm so sorry that I couldn't go today.

The sky always reminds me of you.

I hope you could meet our grandparents.

And please give my best wishes to them.

I miss you so much.

Sincerely,

Ayumi

weekend!!!!

Today after school I went to Downtown Bellevue with my friend.

We went to Neiman Marcus and I saw many brand products.

It's less expensible than in Japan.

I want a bag and a wallet of Mark by Mark Jacobs!!!

Also I want a rainboots!!!

And tomorrow I am planning to go to 2 ra-men shops in Settle with my friends.

I look forward to eating ra-men because I can't eat before I departed from Japan..

Finally I can eat ra-men!!!!!!

Also we will go to UWAJIMAYA, it's Japanese super market:)

yatta------------------------------

Ayumi*

[Today's]

steps: 13228

breakfast: cereal with law fat milk

lunch: the left over of last dinner

refreshment: 31 ice cream:)

dinner: spaghetti with meat sauce/ bread(I think it's made by host mom)/ pampkin tarte

What a relief!!!

Finally, I took the test!!!

I think it was very easy because there are only multiple choices forms.

I am free from test now!!!

Of course I understand I have to study for TOEFL test in November...

And today, I talked with my friends about TVXQ (do you know this??) and we were excited!! hahaha...

Then my Korean friend said that he met U-Know once.

Unbelievable!!! I envy him...

I am planning to go to Seattle on Saturday.

And I will buy some Japanese foods and cook on Sunday.

I want to cook something:)

I look forward to Saturday♥

Ayumi*

[Today's]

steps: 8828

breakfast: cereal with low fat milk

lunch: corn soup(left over)/ a slice of bread/ mandarine

dinner: chicken with cream sauce/ saute of carrots, onion and zucchini/ mashed potato/ chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream

XD

Tomorrow I have a test in business class.

It's the first time to study business.

I'm worrying but all I have to do is do my best.

Ayumi*

[Today's]

steps: 11729

breakfast: cereal with low-fat-milk

lunch: 2 sandwiches(tuna, pickles, mayonnaise)/ mandarine

dinner: corn soup/ corn bread/ apple cofiture with vanilla ice cream

October 4 and 5

I'm sorry for not writing the blog...

And thank you for your comments, Aunt Miwako, Uncle YOshikazu, Dad and Mom!!!!

[The day before yesterday's]
steps: 11925
breakfast: I didn't have time to have breakfast...I overslept..
lunch: the rest of last dinner
dinner: pork chop/ sweat potato(the rest of someday's dinner)

[Yesterday's]
steps: 13904
breakfast: cereal with cream(I mistook milk for cream.)
lunch:rice with ketchup(ham, onion, peas)/ mandarin orange
dinner: open sandwiches(cheese, tuna?, pickles? and mayonnaise), NISSIN cup noodle(instead of soup)/ brownie

Salmon Days!!!

Today I went to Salmon Days in Issaquah (north of Bellevue) with my friends.

There are many booths of arts, crafts, accessory and foods :)

I ate a salmon burger.

This was first taste for me and it's quite spicy;;

Then we ate "Nikuman"(chinese style).

It was nice!!!!

And we could see a run of salmon.

I was surprised because there are a lot of people!!!

I thought this festival was deserted.

This festival is very exciting!!!

Tomorrow classes begin again.

I do my best XD

Ayumi*

[Today's]

steps: 15740

breakfast: cereal with low fat milk

lunch: salmon burger

snack: Nikuman(pork)

dinner: rice/ arranged chili beans(with corn and tomatoes)