My Last Online Journal
I'm about to finish my 1st year at Gaidai and I feel time goes so fast. I can't believe that I have spent almost one year here. Through this year, I think I've improved my English skill, at least a little. But now, I'm not sure if I like English or not, and if I want to go abroad to study English. Since I came here, English has become something to study. To me, English wasn't a subject which I had to study before, and I just enjoyed communicating in English. So I thought that I liked English. But these days, I' ve been asking to myself "Do I like English?", or "What do I want to do in the future?" I don't think I was wrong choosing this university, because I had less interest in anything else than I had in English. But I just can't see what I want to do after the Gaidai.

About the article
I think that the writer of this article means foolish, terrible, and awful by using the word "Amazing". Who is going to eat the meat of those pigs and chickens whose feed include the dangerous part of sick cows? Human beings will. I've become more worried about BSE after knowing about the U.S. government's announcement. Now we have to worry about not just cows, but also pigs and chickens. Even schoolchildren know that it is dangerous to eat what has eaten something poisonous. How could the U.S. government say that it't safe to eat cows because the dangerous part will be given to pigs and chickens? Their foolishness is really amazing.

Socks
During winter, I always sleep wearing socks and I always put them off unconsciously during the night. and I always wake up two or three hours before the setting time of the alarm clock, because of the coldness of winter. Then I wear my socks to fall asleep again. Why don't I wear my socks without waking up, though I always put them off unconsciously?

Love Bargain!
Yesterday I went shopping to Sannomiya. It was Sunday and there were so many people that I couldn't move easily. Some shops limited the number of customer who got into there. most goods were 40-50% off and I got three items which I'm going to wear on the 9th.(^o^)v I really enjoyed my shopping, though my legs have got so tired.(>_<)

Do you like osechi?
I'm going to visit my grandparents on 31th evening to spend the new years holiday with them. But I don't want to go there because I hate osechi which is Japanese traditional foods for new years day. They prepare too much foods for the day and we have to eat the same foods for a few days. They are already cold and don't taste good. I want another food which has just been cooked, but my granpa expects me to enjoy osechi and I don't want to make him upset by refusing his offer. Anyway, I have to eat osechi.

Okayama
On 21th, Hitomi, Taeko, and I went to Tivoli Park in Kurashiki, Okayama to see the christmas illumination. It was so beautiful! And on that night we stayed at Hitomi's house. I enjoyed myself talking with her family.(^_^)

We also went to Bikanchiku where you can see Japanese old street and buildings, and Saijyo Inari shrine which is one of most famous Inari shrines in Japan.

We had some special products of Okayama such as Bukkake noodle and Kibi-dango. I liked them very much.(^o^)v

It was so nice to visit Okayama. I want to say thank you to Hitomi and her family!!(*^_^*)

They got him.
Previous Iraq President Saddam Hussein was captured. As many reporters and commentators say, it is really surprising that he was captured alive. many people assumed that he would rather kill himself than give in. Why didn't he comit a suicide, instead of hiding himself inside a small, dirty pit to be found by American forces?

In a morning news, one reporter said that the situation was similar to that of Chizuo Matsumoto, the leader of Aum. He was also hiding himself in a small place with some money when he was arrested. these two leaders might heve felt the same way. For them, suicide probably meant their ultimate defeat which they never wanted to admit. They were captured with their faiths still remained.

Then, how will American government treat Hussein? Although I don't know about international low very much, I know that it's difficult to execute him because many European countries are against the death penalty. This case won't be as the case of Matsumoto, who was sentenced to death the other day. I have to watch how Hussein will be treated, and how this capture will affect the plan of sending Japanese troops to Iraq.

Happy 19th Birthday!
The 4th of December was my 19th birthday. I was so glad that many of my classmates and other friends back in Kakogawa called me, sent me email, and said "Happy Birthday" to me. Although I don't want to be older any more, it is great that my friends remember my birthday (*^_^*)

Having no time!
It's already 3:50 and I don't have enough time to write today's journal, though now I'm doing that. Today I had to answer some questions related to the plan of dispatching Japanese SDF troops to Iraq. It was quite hard and I have only 5 minutes to do today's journal. And now only 2 minutes are left and I have to shut the computer down. So goodbye!

Kotatsu
I got kotatsu which I've ordered from a mail-order house the other day and it is very comfortable. Altough I hate winter, I like to stay at the kotatsu all day just watching TV or reading magazines. I look forward to the winter holidays.