PoPBunka!のむふむふBLOG 英会話とカルチャースクール浜松

Here is a list of the top ten words of 2009 as chosen by Time Magazine in America.

Some of the words are difficult to explain because they are political or refer to cultural events in America.

The number one word, however, is easy to understand.

It's a verb; sexting.

Sexting = 'Sex' + 'Text Messaging or Texting'

'Sexting' is a new word that describes using your computer or mobile phone to send messages about sex.

It's very popular with younger people and dirty old men!

Happy New Year!  

This is an interesting photo created by a very famous Canadian art photographer.

His name is Jeff Wall and he creates large format artistic photographs.

He often gets inspiration from other historically famous artists.

Above, you can see a famous scene by the Japanese artist Hokusai.

The original Hokusai print is called, 'A Sudden Gust of Wind'.

Below, you can see that Jeff Wall has reinterpreted the scene in photography.

Unfortunately, the picture is too small on this blog to see many of the details.

It looks much better in large format.

I really like his work and I might order his book of photographic prints.

You can learn more about Jeff Wall on these websites ...

金沢21世紀美術館 - ジェフ・ウォール

ARTPHOTO Site - ジェフ・ウォール

DNP ArtScape Museum - ジェフ・ウォール  

I went to Mutsugiku Gyouza restaurant in Chitose for lunch today.

I had 2 lunches today; please see my previous blog.

Mutsugiku is pretty famous in Hamamatsu.

The gyouza comes with bean sprouts, so it is Hamamatsu style!

I liked the it, but I've had better gyouza in Hamamatsu.

The service was very fast and we were eating just a few minutes after ordering.

Maybe it's the fastest gyouza in Hamamatsu.

I recommend it.

Website -> Mutsugiku Gyouza Restaurant  

Nothing exciting here... just my lunch.

Actually, this was my first lunch today.

Please read the next blog for more details.

I'm getting fat this holiday season.

Must start exercising ...  

I saw these pictures of the new Dreamliner 787 airplane last week.

This airplane is the next major design from Boeing.

The aircraft has been designed using a lot of carbon fiber and is much lighter than regular aluminium airplanes.

It is lighter so it's supposed to be 20% more fuel efficient.

The airplane will start regular commercial service next fall.

The first company to start using the airplanes will be ANA (All Nippon Airways).

Last week, Boeing started test flying the second aircraft.

It was painted in ANA colours.

One interesting point about this aircraft is the interior.

You can see some pictures below.

The cabin uses LED lighting and the light changes for different stages of the flight.

The top picture shows the boarding lighting when passengers are getting on the plane.

The middle picture shows the warm-coloured lighting for when passengers are eating meals.

The bottom picture shows darkened lighting for sleeping times.

It looks like the new Boeing Dreamliner 787 will be a very unique airplane inside and outside.
  

Santa came to PoPBunka! early this morning.

I was out drinking.

When I came back to PoPBunka!, I found my Christmas present.

Surprise!

I really like the paint theme!

Maybe it is a little small but I am sooooo happy!

Thank-you Santa.  

Today is December 25th so Merry Christmas everybody!

In Japan, we don't really celebrate Christmas like in the west.

So, I was looking for some Christmas songs this morning to give me the Christmas feeling.

I found these famous Christmas songs on YouTube.

They are being performed by Canada's most famous Jazz singer Diana Krall (ダイアナ・クラール).

Enjoy!



  

One of my students is from Toyama Prefecture.

She gave me this souvenir yesterday.

It's fish paste!

Of course I don't like the taste, but thank you!   

<- Click here!








This is a full size 2010 PoPBunka! class calendar.

Click on it and you can print it!

PoPBunka! is now on holidays.

We will be back starting on January 7th, 2010.

Happy New Year everybody!  

The 2010 Winter Olympics are coming soon.

They will be held in Vancouver, Canada with many events at Whistler Mountain.

The Winter Olympics will start on February 12th.

You can see the Olympic graphic for the Vancouver 2010 games above.

It comes from a famous type of Eskimo stone landmark called a 'inunnguaq'.

The character is named 'Ilanaaq'.

'Ilanaaq' is the Eskimo word for friend.

Canada hosted the Olympics twice before.

The 1976 Summer Olympics were in Montreal and the 1988 Winter Olympics were held in Calgary.

Prime Minister Aso attended the 1976 Montreal Olympics as a member of the Japanese shooting team.

Japanese gymnast Shun Fujimoto had a broken knee but helped the Japanese team win the gold medal.

Montreal was also the Olympics of Nadia Comăneci and her perfect 10's.

The Calgary Olympics was famous for the Jamaican national bobsled team.

Japan only won 1 medal at Calgary.

You can see the Olympic graphics below for both events.

  

New York was hit by a very big winter storm last weekend.

Over 1200 flights were cancelled in the New York area and many trains and buses stopped running.

The winter storm last week was very big; a kind of monster storm.

Some places received over half a meter of snow!

My brother Phil's weekend house on Long Island was totally covered in snow.

Actually, he had to dig out his front door.

Long Island was hit the hardest by the storm.

His house in Brooklyn was also buried under snow.

You can see some pictures below.

Their dog Leo loves the snow... until he gets cold.

Leo is from Africa, so he doesn't know about snow.

I guess it will be a white Christmas!



  

I watched the movie 'Avatar' last night.

It's a big budget sci-fi movie.

The movie was written and directed by James Cameron.

He is the Canadian movie director who made Titanic and The Terminator.

Avatar will be released in Japan on the 23rd of December.

I won't tell you any of the details of the story but it's a pretty good movie, so I recommend it.

My score? -> 7.5 / 10  

Last Saturday night we had the 2009 PoPBunka! Bonenkai!

It was very fun... about 40 people came in total.

We drank, we ate, we talked.

Thank you to all students and everyone who came!

PS> The top picture was taken at about 2 am. We finished at about 4.30am...

The Dom Perignon was very good.

However, I couldn't understand the 'creamy' taste part.

Maybe I will have to try again...

  

I went to a Chinese magic show today.

It was at a year-end party and I could eat lunch and watch magic.

The magic quality level was not so high, but it was very fun!

Maybe he was not really a Chinese magician... secretly a Japanese guy?

Also, his mustache looked suspicious.

What do you think?

  

We now have a secret supply of mini-marshmallows at PoPBunka!

They are available for your coffee.

If anyone needs marshmallows in their coffee ... please ask.

Thank-you.  

The next Camera 101 class series will start on 24th January.

It's on Sunday at 10.30am.

This is the first class of a 3-part series for beginners.

We will learn the basics of camera operation and photography.

¥6000 + tax

Please email or call for details ...

Telephone
053-488-4800

Email
popbunka@mac.com  

I bought a bottle of Dom Perignon Champange and a bottle of Segura Viudas Cava for the year-end party.

Both wines are sparkling wine wines with a lot of bubbles!

They were a little bit expensive, but it's ok to buy once a year.

Dom Perignon is the most famous French Champagne brand in the world and is made from 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir grapes.

The Segura Viudas Cava is a famous Spanish sparkling wine and made from a blend of 2 different Spanish grape types.

I have often heard these top class sparkling wines have a 'creamy' taste.

Actually, I have never had Dom Perignon before so I am not sure what this means.

Let's try it and find out at the bonenkai!

PS> If anyone wants to buy a bottle of Moet & Chandon Champange for the party, everyone would be extra happy ...   

Here are a couple of pictures I took of my friends at the convenience store the other night ... after we were drinking downtown.


  

I bought some Belgian Cherry Beer for our year-end party.
今度の忘年会のためにベルギー・チェリービールを買ってきたよー！

Everyone can try it!
誰でも飲んでみてね！

The beer is flavoured with sour cherries.
そのビールっていうのはサワーチェリーの味なんだよ。

It has a unique taste and I love the stuff!
独特な味なんだけど僕はこれがだーーーいすきなんだ！

Let's drink it on Saturday night.
今週土曜はみんなで飲もうね。

Cheers!
乾ー杯！！  

Everyone is invited!
Bring your friends!
No cost.
Let's forget the year together!