White Rooms and Secret Stories (Part 2)

Hello!

How are you? Today I'd like to post a 2nd part to our collection of your stories called White Rooms and Secret Stories. Here are some more of your great stories!

Check this first one out!

I have had many crazy dreams in my life, but last week I had the craziest dream of all. This dream was very interested and a bit scared. This dream made me feel mysterious. I didn’t know why I had such a dream myself.

I got on the plane for ten hours, and arrived at the United States. My best friend married, and she held a wedding ceremony in the United States. She looked very happy and she was very beautiful. After her wedding ceremony, I went to watch the sunset, it was very beautiful. Because I was tired, I came back to the hotel.

I closed black curtains before taking a bath. When I looked at the outside of the window, a tiger was in the balcony. I was very surprised, but the tiger was very cute and friendly. I slept with it, I spent one day. I made friends with the tiger very much. I will never forget this dream.

Great! Let's check out this next one:

Last year, I have traveled to America. I got on the airplane. Airplane is so frightening because very higher and faster! Airplane is scary though, strange figure has been seen in the bathroom of the airplane. When I opened the door, there was a tiger! But the tiger was sadly face. I became the tiger and friends. I called the tiger “Alice.” Alice gone very tame to me, seemed to have a like love to me.

I got off the airplane, outside was hearing dark anymore day. And then, appearance of Alice was freaking!! And, Alice has become to the human figure!! So looks very beautiful girl, I would be love at first sight. But Alice during the day and return to the tiger, changes to human form when it comes to night. I had seen as a one of the lover Alice.

We were good relationship now living together. Then one day Alice and I decided to get married. And we lived in peace in the white house. I didn’t show the true figure of Alice to anymore.

Hmm…marrying a tiger! What a life! Now how about this one: 

I was ready to come home last Friday after a hard week at work, but when I opened my front door, I could not believe what I found there.

There was a boarding gate through there must have been an outside of my company. Two well-dressed men escorted me around an airplane and I was taken to a luxurious room. After I was taken there, the airplane took off without being explained. I was very tired so I spent sleeping on a luxurious bed in the room, and having dinner. I had delicious dishes for the first time. The plane landed unknown place before I knew it. But I did not feel scary wonderfully.

Two men escorted me around a station next. An inside of a train was also luxurious. I saw train tracks and cables when I looked outside from the train window, and I saw birds that I have never seen kind of. I began to think that where I was taken to and where here was. I explored the train to look for the two men.

First of all, I went out the room. It was amazing view when I sew first. There was a lion. However, it was a baby lion. I approached the lion softly and the lion nestled close to me. Strangely enough, the lion became attached to me soon so I advanced with the lion. I found a room and looked into the room. The room was pitch-black. I draw curtains after I groped those. The room was all while but just curtains were black. It was already a time of sunset.

Very good! Now how about this story?

There was a woman who had a beautiful black hair. Her name was Jenny. When she was child, she dreamed that she wanted to marry with a white man so she went to America after she grew up. Then, she met a good looking white man. The more the time went on, the more they were friendly, in the end they were more than friends. Finally, the man asked Jenny to marry him looking at beautiful sunset. Jenny said “Yes!” in a breath.

Before Jenny’s bridal, there were Jenny and her man in the church. When they prepared the ceremony, a sister came to them and said “Don’t enter the room!” She pointed toward one room. Jenny asked the reason. “I can’t tell” the sister said.

After the ceremony, Jenny was so happy, but she was curious about the room, so she decided to enter the room. When she opened the door, there was only a big grey curtain and she opened the curtain. There was a big hungry white tiger. She was so surprised and tried to run away but the room door was locked. She couldn’t go out. Finally, nobody has seen Jenny since.

Where is Jenny? No-one knows! Well, let's look at this next one: 

I have had dreams in my life, but I lost dreams. My dream was to get married wonderful man. I met wonderful man three years ago. He is very kind and good worker, so he loves me. I changed my life since I have met him. My character was shy and negative, and I did not like my character. But I can like my character because I could have confidence. And I feel happy every day.

I am in beach to see sunset. I was born near the beach, and I grow up with the beach. This beach was supported me every time when I bored something. I was not good at talking with someone because my character was shy and negative. But I have been feeling that this beach conceal my negative emotion. I had uneasiness about newly married life. I had to move into urban city by airplane. I was happy to get married wonderful man and move into urban city, but I was sad because moving out other place is solitary. There is my husband, but somehow my feeling was bad. I noticed that I love my hometown when I decided to move out other place. I was pleasure of greeting married and wedding, but I do not know why, I am depressed.

I realize I live in Tokyo when I see a lot of train tracks and cables now. I see these for the first time after coming Tokyo. I am in white room at my new house. I know I am in my house, but I do not feel secure. I want to go back my hometown to see sunset in my favorite beach.　

There's more after the page break!

White Rooms and Secret Stories (Part 1)

Hello!

How are you? I will finally show here what I have tried to do before but had no time to do - upload some of your great writing on the stories you wrote. Here they are! I call this collection White Rooms and Secret Stories. 

The picture at the top isn't a white room - but it is one of the pictures many of you used for your stories. Maybe it was a view from a white room. Maybe not…but the pictures you saw gave all of you many great ideas and feelings. 

So to see all the pictures that gave you great ideas and feelings for these stories, click on this link here.

I'm very impressed with these stories and am proud and happy to show them here. So let's start! 

Here's the first! It's called "Is it the Ghost?" Check it out!

I have had crazy dream in my life, but last week I had the craziest dream of all. The dream started in a white room. In the room, many people were very glad because someone would get married. The woman who wore the white wedding dress, but I haven’t met the woman before. She was very beautiful and looked like happy. The wedding started and it was full with happiness. Then, the wedding finished. So, the woman and her husband went on honeymoon by airplane. They went to a special hotel. but the hotel’s curtain was black. She thought “the curtain’s color is bad, so I want to change.” But the hotel was very good hotel. The food was delicious, the employees worked hard and kind for the guests and more than anything the view of the room was very beautiful. The scene changed, In the morning, the sea sparkled by the reflect the sunshine. In the evening, the sunset was mysterious. In the night, the moon light shined in dark. They enjoyed the view and satisfied.

She wake up in the middle of the night. But she was polarized. So, she couldn’t move except her eyes. She wanted her husband to help. But he was not there. She saw the balcony and the shadow was there. She thought “the shadow is the ghost!” She scared and lost so concerned of fear. After a while, she wake up again and heard shower of sound. She went the shower room. She opened door. Up scream! But the voice was familiar. It was her husband. After, she asked him, “why were you on the balcony?” He answered, “No.” She thought “the shadow which I saw last night is …what! Is it ghost ?”

Wow! That was great. Now check out this one:

I have had many crazy dreams in my life but last week I had the craziest dream of all. From now on, I tell you about my dreams.

I got train to university the same as always. One day, I met a woman in the university. Her name was Kumi. She troubled with the action of losing her way. So, I guided the place where she went to go to. She was glad for me. And I exchanged email address, we contacted. After four months, I started dating her. It was fan to meet talking every day. I graduated from university, after two years, I proposed her. Her answer is “Yes”. I was very happy. And we celebrated a wedding in air plane. It is rare for un to do that.

We enjoyed a wedding but the accident happen. Suddenly, air plane went down. Then I prey to live. And I awake just before air plane bumped into the ground. That was dream so I relieved. When I looked a clock, it was at five in the afternoon. I was surprised at sleeping for a long time. At once, I talked in shower. Then, I had seen a beautiful sunset when I opened a black curtain. That was crazy dream but I enjoyed.

Interesting! Now read this one:

Let me tell you about my friend’s crazy week. She has had some strange experiences in her time, but last week was one she told me. I could write a book about, my friend whose name is Eiko held her wedding party last week, after the wedding party, Eiko and her husband whose name is Hideo had to move to America soon. Next day, they moved to America by airplane.

Their new home is apartment which is so spacious and beautiful white room. They can see the ocean from their room. And their room comes with black curtains. When they will open the black curtains to see the view, a big something appeared behind the black curtains. They were so surprised and so scared of a big something which is an animal. They thought that it looks like tiger. But when the roared, they realized that it is not tiger, it is a big dog. They stroked the dog fearfully, the dog was so well-behaved. The dog was threw away by owner. The dog was also deeply attached to them. So, they decided that they have the dog. Then, they saw the sunset together from their room. 

Very good! Here's another one - it's called "The Married Life":

Judy is going out with Mike. So, they got married. They hold a wedding ceremony. Everyone look so very happy. But, only woman was not happy because, she was love Mike. She name Yoshiko. Yoshiko is very beautiful and very rich. So, she is popular with men. However, she was dumped by Mike at many times.

Judy and Mike lived a happy life. But, they harassed by Yoshiko. Yoshiko called a lot of silent phone and she followed to them tracks. And she sneak steal into their house with a man. But, they go home at that time. She ran away from their house in a hurry. But, the man was stranded on their house. They were go home when they was surprised. Because, they were see man in shower room. The man arrested after that. So, they heard about it cause by her from the police. They were very angry. So, they revenged on Yoshiko. They was put tiger into her house. She had a harrow escape. She was afraid of them. So, she fled the country by airplane. She looked out of a window. The sunset was very beautiful. They lived happily ever after.

That's great - so great because it's so strange! Now let's look at this one:

Nancy has had many crazy dreams in her life, but last week she had the craziest dream of all. So I want to tell you about her story.

One day, there was the woman whose name was Nancy in white room. She was very excited because she had a wedding ceremony with her boyfriend tomorrow. When the evening came, she closed black curtains as seeing beautiful sunset. She went to bed early time for tomorrow. Next day, she had happy wedding ceremony with him. It was the happiest time for her in her life. A few weeks later, they went on a honeymoon.

They took the airplane to go to a foreign country. This country was Hawaii. They arrived at there, and went to beach. They enjoyed playing there. But, suddenly the tiger appeared from woods. They were absolutely terrified. But she mustered up the courage to feed it. It was attached to her, so they began to have it as a pet. They lived happily with the pet.

Great! Now check out some more stories after the page break. 

Writing about music/音楽を書いて (Part 2)

Hello!

How are you? Here is the third video to this piece of music I played for you in class - Jeff Beck's "The Final Peace." 

Here is the music again:

To learn more about Jeff Beck, click on this link here to a Wikipedia article in Japanese about him. 

Now here is the fourth video to this piece of music I played for you - Jason Moran's "Gentle Shifts South."

Here is the music again. There is a voice that comes over the music sometimes - sorry, I can't edit that out!:

To learn more about Jason Moran, click on this link here to a Wikipedia article about him. There is no article in Japanese about him, so the article is in English, and it's long - so you don't have to read the whole article! Only the beginning part about him, if you like. 

Does listening to this music again and knowing more about these musicians change what you wrote about the music? It might - but please do not change your stories!

Post a comment about what you learned, or what you think about these artists, in the comments section!

See you next time!

Image: "Water Drops In Rainy Day" courtesy of Toa55/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Videos uploaded from YouTube. Uploaded for educational purposes. No copyright infringement intended. All rights reserved to the copyright owner(s).

Writing about music/音楽を書いて (Part 1)

Hello!

How are you? Today here is the first video to this piece of music I played for you in class - The Bad Plus' "Big Eater." 

Here is the music again:

Now here is the second piece of music I played for you in class - Weather Report's "Teen Town." Here is a video showing them performing it (the video is old, so the picture quality is not so good. Sorry!):

To learn more about The Bad Plus, click on this link here to the Wikipedia article in Japanese about them. The Japanese article doesn't say so much, however, so click over here to the Wikipedia article in English about them for more (it's long, so you don't have to read all of it!). 

To learn more about Weather Report, click on this link here to a Wikipedia article in Japanese about them.

Does listening to the music again and knowing more about these artists change what you wrote about their music? It might - but please do not change your stories!

Post a comment about what you learned, or what you think about these artists, in the comments section!

See you next time!

Image: "New York Skyline" courtesy of Antoine Henrich/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Videos uploaded from YouTube. Uploaded for educational purposes. No copyright infringement intended. All rights reserved to the copyright owner(s).

Writing about interesting, strange, or unique experiences/面白い、不思議、ユニークな経験を書いてる

Hello,

How are you? Let's start our fifth writing assignment (作文5) - writing about interesting, strange or unique experiences (面白い、不思議、ユニークな経験)! 

Goal
Look at these pictures. Can you make a two or three (2-3) paragraph story with these pictures? You can put these pictures in any order you like (イメージの順番がなんでもいい). 

Rules (ルール) 
1. Use at least 6 of the pictures (you can use the picture of the room at the top too).
2. Use time expressions such as before, after, and when in your story. 
3. When you're finished, ask a classmate to check your formatting, and check your classmate's paper also, with the format and style check handout I gave you. 

Have fun!

Photo credits: Top photo - "Sunset Holiday" (courtesy of imagerymajestic)/Roofs - "Hiyama Tatsuno Hyogo Prefecture" (courtesy of 663highland)/ 

Images: Top (Door) - "Empty Wall With Closed Door" (courtesy of master isolated images)/Sunset - "Beautiful Sunset" (courtesy of Photokanok)/Curtains - "Curtain Black With Texture" (courtesy of antpkr)/Wedding - "The Exit" (courtesy of Elwood W. McKay III)/Hand silhouettes - "Silhouette Of Man Asking For Help" (courtesy of foto76)/Plane - "Take Off At Sunset" (courtesy of Time Beach)/Woman - "Asian Model Woman" (courtesy of posterize)/Train wires - "Silhouette Of Wires And Cables" (courtesy of papaija2008)/Tiger - "White Bengal Tiger Face" (courtesy of anankkml)/All photos from FreeDigitalPhotos.net 

Excuses and apologies/詫び、申し訳

Hello!

How are you? Today, let's look at how to make excuses (詫び) and apologies (申し訳).

First, this is a sample letter of apology with a difference - some excuses in it. Some of these excuses are a little unbelievable! 

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am the general manager of our hotel. It has come to my attention that you have had a terrible experience at our hotel. Please accept my apologies for your experience.

I have no excuses for our poor performance, but I would like to explain our situation. First, our front desk manager’s mother has been very sick recently and it has affected his work. In addition, we have had other problems recently with some of our staff members and we have had to hire and train some new staff. They are still new to their jobs and are not as good as we hoped they would be.

In our restaurant, our head chef recently lost his beloved cat of thirteen years. He is not married and has no children and this has been a difficult time for him. He loved his cat very much and it has been very hard for him. Furthermore, two of our best waitresses have had leg and foot problems and it is difficult for them to stand for a long time. One of our vans drove over their feet when they were taking some things out of the back of the van and into the hotel. They are getting treatment at the hospital for their problems, but it will be difficult for them for some time.

I cannot show how deeply sorry I am for the bad time you had at our hotel. So please allow me to offer you a free stay at our hotel in the future, when you would like. We are working hard to correct our problems and will make a much better experience in the future.

Sincerely,

Lee Sekaijin

General Manager

Takasaka Hotel and Resort

Scenario
What I would like you to do is to write a letter of apology, with excuses, about a person's terrible stay at a hotel. Imagine that you are the general manager of the hotel and that you have heard about a person's bad experience at your hotel. 

Make some of your excuses a little unreal - for example, a staff member's dog just died, or the taxi service has changed, or there is a new chef in the hotel restaurant who is strange, or something like that. 

Write 2-3 paragraphs with an opening ("Dear Sir/Madam") and a closing ("Sincerely," and your name). 

Have fun with this! 

See you next time!

Image: "Pillow" courtesy of mrsiraphol/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Describing a problem/問題を書き表している

Hello,

How are you? Today let's learn about how to describe a problem (問題を書き表している). 

Do you remember from last week our pictures of the different hotels? Here they are again:

1. 

2.

3. 

4. 

Activity

Last week, you thought of some problems that could happen in a hotel room (such as broken windows, no hot water in the shower, and things like that). Your goal now is to write 1-2 paragraphs about problems that happen in the hotel room you selected. 

You are writing to a friend about the hotel you stayed in on a summer vacation. Start with a strong topic sentence, like this:

例えば 1：

Let me tell you about my last vacation. It was great, but the hotel I stayed at was terrible.

From there, write about all the problems you can think of that happened in the hotel room you stayed at.

例えば 2：

Let me tell you about my last vacation. It was great, but the hotel I stayed at was terrible. I was very excited to stay there, but when I went to the room, I was shocked. The bed was not made and the sheets were dirty, there were wine stains on the carpet, and cockroaches were everywhere. (…)

From there, write more problems you found in the room.  You can also then write about other problems, like bad hotel staff, or bad food. 

At the end, make a warning (注意) to your friend about the hotel using "so."

例えば 3：

Let me tell you about my last vacation. It was great, but the hotel I stayed at was terrible. I was very excited to stay there, but when I went to the room, I was shocked. The bed was not made and the sheets were dirty, there were wine stains on the carpet, and cockroaches were everywhere. (…)

(…) So let me tell you to please never stay in this hotel. It is an awful place with dirty rooms, terrible staff, and bad food. 

Have fun writing this! See you next time!

Images: Top photo - "Spilled Glass Of Wine On A Carpet" (courtesy of Mister GC)/1. "Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore" (courtesy of posterize)/2. "Typical English Village House" (courtesy of Stuart Miles)/3. "Motel on the Beach" (courtesy of Aleksandr Kutsayev)/4. "Tropical Resort in Thailand" (courtesy of nuchylee)/All images from FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Writing about hotels/ホテルを書いてる

Hello!

How are you? Let's think about, and write some notes, on hotels! 

Warmup/activity
What kind of hotel would you like to stay in? Let's look at some pictures of different hotels.

1. This is the first one - the Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore:

1. 

What do you think of this hotel? 

2. This one is very different - an English village house made into a country hotel: 

2.

What do you think of it? 

3. How about this one - a motel on the beach:

3. 

What do you think of this place? 

4. What about this one? It's a tropical resort in Thailand:

4. 

Would you like to stay here? 

Now - think about all these different hotels and places. Which one would you like to stay in? Write two (2) sentences about the hotel you like. Give some reasons using because~. 

例えば：
I want to stay in hotel #2 because it is very quiet, and looks comfortable and peaceful. I think I can get good rest in this hotel. 

Have fun!
Photo credits: 1. "Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore" courtesy of posterize/2. "Typical English Village House" courtesy of Stuart Miles/3. "Motel 

Images: Top - "Hotel Room" (courtesy of Evgeni Diner)/1. "Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore" (courtesy of posterize)/2. "Typical English Village House" (courtesy of Stuart Miles)/3. "Motel on the Beach" (courtesy of Aleksandr Kutsayev)/4. Image "Tropical Resort in Thailand" (courtesy of nuchylee)/All images from FreeDigitalPhotos.net