平凡に見えても、徐々に変貌する日々

　この４月に入学した新一年生、進級し新たなクラスメイトとの出会い、また、初めての職場や、転勤で新たな環境となった方たちにとって「今日は一休み」といったところでしょう。４月は新たな人との出会いや、今までと異なる通勤通学経路に慣れるまで一定の時間が必要と思います。心機一転この新たなチャンスを生かし、従来とは異なる遣り甲斐を見出し、実は新たな自分の発見でもあります。

　という私も、現役時代に７つの職場(カルカッタ日本人学校、高崎支援学校、榛名高、高崎商、富岡高、前橋高、上武大)を経験しました。その都度お会いした方々は今では懐かしい思い出と変わり、お会いすることは皆無です。その代わり、お若い数人とはこのフェイスブックで繋がっており、いいねやコメントを戴くと、すごく嬉しく当時が蘇ります。

　ところで、写真上は昨秋、埼玉県花園町で手にした「八重の枝垂れ桜」の幼木です。幹がS字カーブしてます。築山に植えたところ、嬉しいことに蕾が膨らんできました。今春は未だ咲かないだろうとの予想に反し、日に日に咲く気配となり、変貌を見せてます。冬の期間も毎日見守りつつ、水を与える程度でしたが、予想外の進展もあるものです。膨らみつつある紅い蕾を見ると内心「やった！」という心境です。咲いたら写真をアップします。

　一方、下の写真は廊下で春を満喫するように咲いてる「君子蘭」です。そして、紅のみであったチューリップに何と黄色が咲きました。今日の群馬県は一日中、雨模様です。後方の白いカーテンはピアノの部屋です。以前にホームコンサートで弾いた「雨だれ」を復習してみます。年齢を重ねるとゆっくりした曲をしみじみです。

Dear my friends who are crazy about a fulfilled way of life and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for your understanding will be done after my breakfast Japan time.

..................................................................

　In Japan, for the new academic first-year's pupils and students who entered new school this April, for those who have been promoted and are meeting new classmates, and for those who have been transferred to a new workplace or environment for the first time, today is "a day of rest". In April, it will encounter new people and get used to a different route to workplace or new school. Make a fresh start and take advantage of this new opportunity to find a new sense of fulfillment and actually "discover yourself" as well, I guess.

　I myself have had seven workplaces during my active career such as Calcutta Japanese School, Takasaki Support School, Haruna High School, Takasaki High School of commerce, Tomioka High School, Maebashi High School and Jobu University. The people I had ever met at each of these workplaces are now just fond memories, and I never meet them again. Instead, I am connected with several young people through this Facebook, and when I receive a like or comment from them, I am deeply happy that it brings back memories of those days.

　Not change the subject, but the photo above is a young "double weeping cherry tree" that I got in Hanazono-town, Saitama Prefecture last fall. As you see, the trunk is curved in S-shape. I planted it on the artificial hill for plants named Tsukiyama, and to my delight, the buds have begun to swell. Contrary to my expectations that it is showing signs of blooming day by day though it would not bloom yet this spring, and is showing a transformation. I kept an eye on it every day during the winter, and only gave it water, but there were unexpected developments. When I saw the swelling red buds, I thought to myself, "Joyful shout!" I will upload the photo when it blooms.

　Meanwhile, the photo below shows a "Kaffir lily" blooming in the hallway with enjoying the spring. And the tulips, which were only red in the garden, have now bloomed yellow. It has been raining all day in Gumma Prefecture today. The white curtain in the background is the piano room. I will review "Raindrops by Chopin," which I played at a home concert ago. As I get older, I appreciate slower music more.

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...

孤食に慣れましたが、脱皮もしたい。

　孤食が既に２０年も続いてます。つまり、２０年×３６５日×３回ですから２万２千回以上で、よく続いたものです。寂しい環境に慣れてしまいました。

　良い点は「人に頼らず生きている」ことで、衣食住と経済は自らの考えで、工夫しつつ自由にやってます。今夜はご覧の「もちもちした餃子」で一杯やる予定です。

　餃子はつまみにもなるし、食事にもなる便利なものです。これに大好きなお刺身なども加わり、今宵はウィスキーのお湯割りです。

　人間生活として「欠くべからざる会話」がないことが私の日常生活の欠点です。このため、可能な限り地区の人たちとの交流に努めてます。本心はフェイスブックのオフ会を我が家でやりたいです。どんなに楽しいことでしょう。二次会はピアノバーで歌が歌えます。

Dear my FB Friends

　I've been eating alone for 20 years now. That is, 20 years x 365 days x 3 times, so more than 22,000 times which is amazing. I've gotten used to the lonely environment.

　The good thing is that I'm "living without relying on others," and I'm free to think about and devise ways to provide for my food, clothing, shelter, and finances. Tonight I'm planning to have a drink with the "Gyoza" that means Chinese meat-and-vegetable flied dumplings" you see in the photo.

　"Gyoza" dumplings are convenient because they can be used as both a snack and a meal. I'll add my favorite sliced raw fish sashimi to this, and tonight I'll have hot whiskey.

　The lack of "indispensable conversation" in human life is a drawback of my daily life. For this reason, I try to interact with people in my area as much as possible. In reality, I'd like to hold a Facebook offline meetup at my house to the core including Ms. Sarah from NZ. How much fun it would be. The after-party will be at a piano bar where you can sing with being accompanied by me.

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...

雪が上がり、愛車で喫茶「さんぽ道」へ向かう

　今日の午後、雪の心配もなくなり、愛車の調整のためエンジンを動かさなくてはならないので1週間ぶりに喫茶「さんぽ道」へ行きました。

　話をする機会のない一人暮らしは、ここへ来ればママさんやスタッフさんとも話しをするからです。柚子の飲み物を戴きつつ３０分ほど本を読み、その後、１０分程ピアノでロシア民謡「仕事の歌」など昔、体操選手の床運動につけた曲を弾きました。

　東に広がる広大な田畑に太陽が差し、気温も幾分か上がり、今回の雪で、もう本当の春が来るだろうと感じました。写真の花は以前に、ここ「さんぽ道」で手に入れました。これからも暫く咲いている気配です。

Dear my friends who are crazy about nature and great music.

　This afternoon, the worry of snow is over, but I need to get my car's engine condition to make some adjustments, so I went to the cafe "Sampo-michi" for the first time in a week.

　I live alone, therefore don't have opportunity to talk, so when I come here, I talk to the proprietress and staff. I read a book for about 30 minutes while enjoying a yuzu drink, and then I played the piano for about 10 minutes, including the Russian folk song "Work Song," which I once accompanied for floor exercises for gymnast.

　The sun was shining on the vast fields stretching out to the east, and the temperature had risen somewhat, and I felt that with this snow, true spring would arrive. I had previously bought the flowers in the photo at "Sampo-michi." It looks to bloom for a while.

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...

良い自然環境でコーヒー戴きつつ自己を取り戻す

　今日の午後、久しぶりにお気に入り喫茶「さんぽ道」で２時間ほど、コーヒーを戴き過ごしました。私はいつも一人で行くので、本を一冊持って行きます。３０分ほどすると変化が欲しくなり、ピアノをお借りして数曲弾きましたら、一人でいた女性のお客さんに珍しく拍手を戴きました。

　彼女は「良かったです」と言って下さいましたが、本当は「さんぽ道」の天井が高いので、室内に音色が良く響き、きれいに聴こえるのです。私としては、ピアノで喜び、悲しみを言葉で語るように弾きたいと思ってます。

　それにしても、街中と違い、ここは広々した自然環境に恵まれ、自己を取り戻すには理想的な環境が整ってます。同時に、温厚なママさんとも毎回話が出来て、私のお気に入りになってます。

　もう一つのよい点は私の今までの生活と異なり、お客さんとの知り合いが増えました。やはり人間は、新たな人との邂逅ほど人生に有意義なことはありません。「さんぼ道」のお陰で、普通ではなかなか会えて話などできない県議や市議の方々とも知り合いになれ、素晴らしい出会いに心から良かったと感じてます。今後も週に二回ほどコーヒーを飲みに行きたいです。

Dear my overseas friends who are interested in health of nose and great music

　Since the third semester started in school, I have been wearing a yellow uniform and patrolling the local Kuragano-Elementary-School when the children go to school. Would you please imagine my yellow figure. As I walk along the school route, I exchange greetings and words, while wishing for the safety of the children first, and also taking measures against suspicious people at any time.

　On the other hand, the number of newly built houses in the area has increased rapidly, and as a result, the number of cars on the school route in the morning has increased more than before. In proportion to this phenomenon, the number of vacant houses has also increased. I have been patrolling on the way to and from school for about 15 years so far, and I can feel that the local community is changing year by year. When I patrol, I walk about 2 kilometers before breakfast, which is good for my health and makes me hungry, so breakfast tastes better. It's delicious even when eaten alone.

　Changing the subject, yesterday I bought the salt in the photo. It was cheap at 108 yen, and I can use it during a year. The lady at the register asked me, "Are you going to use it for pickles?" then I answered, "For health reasons, I have never bought salt and sugar as food." For this reason, I explained to her the following.

　Actually, I put a spoonful of salt in 500cc of lukewarm water and use it to wash my nose. As you know, the salt content of our blood is 0.9%. Because the inside of the nose is made up of capillaries, so that washing the nose with the same concentration as blood doesn't hurt at all. I think there is nothing more important for lung health than breathing through the nose. I have been washing my nose by this way after waking up for about 30 years so far.

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...

年末の一日一日を大切に過ごす

　能登半島地震に始まった今年も一日一日が過ぎ去り、残りは１０日になりました。昨日は、お気に入り喫茶「さんぽ道」で開かれた「笑いヨガ」を体験し、日々、一人暮らしで笑うことのない私の一年でしたが、こんなに笑ったことは今までになく、結果的に身体が楽になりました。改めて、笑うことは呼吸や血流、血圧と言った体調の基盤に思いのほか効果があると確信し、同時に、人間の特権と感じました。「笑いヨガ」を通じて、新たな出会いもあり、幸せを感じました。

　今後の私の目標はいろいろあります。先ず何をさておき心身の健康維持です。「健康は自ら作るもの」と考え、ウォーキングと筋トレを生活に取り入れ、併せて、脳のトレーニングとして「記憶力の向上」を目指します。年齢を重ねても記憶すべきことはたくさんあります。脳に定着させるには勉強というより「平素の生活で使いながら」と考えてます。

　一方、高校時代の音楽の先生に勧められ、１７才から始めたピアノは今となって先生にこの上なく感謝ですが、すでに伝えようがありません。ピアノは日常生活が潤います。ピアノは音楽を媒介にして、テンポ・リズムで精神が元気になり、長調・短調・転調により内面の充実に繋がり、メロディー・和声・対位法、そして音色により美に触れられます。年末はピアノの練習を増やします。お時間がありましたら、聴きにいらして下さい。時折、喫茶「さんぽ道」でも弾かせて戴いてます。

Dear my overseas friends who are interested in Nature, great music.

The simultaneous interpretation for your understanding will be done after breakfast Japan time.

....................................................

　This year, which began with the Noto Peninsula huge earthquake occurred in Japan, has passed by day by day, and there are only 10 days left. Yesterday, I experienced "Laughter Yoga" held at my favorite cafe named "Sampo-michi." Although it has been a year not to laugh much due to I lived alone, and I have never laughed so much before. As a result, my body felt better. Once again, I am convinced that laughing was unexpectedly effective on the foundation of physical condition such as breathing deeply, blood circulation and blood pressure. At the same time, I feel that it is a privilege for humans. Through "Laughter Yoga," I was able to meet new people and feel happy.

　I have many purposes for the future because I have a future. First and foremost, I want to maintain my physical and mental health. I believe that "We must create ourselves health," so I will incorporate walking and muscle training into my daily life, and at the same time, I aim to "improve my memory" as a brain training. Even as I get older, there are many things I need to memorize such as English vocabulary. I think that in order to fix it in my brain, it is not studying, but rather "using it in my daily life."

　On the other hand, I started playing the piano at the age of 17 by the recommendation of my music teacher in high school. As a result, now I am extremely grateful to him, but I can no longer express my gratitude to him, because he has passed away. Piano enriches daily life. Piano uses music as a medium to invigorate my spirit with tempo and rhythm, to enrich the inner self with major, minor and modulation keys, and to experience beauty through melody, harmony, counterpoint and tone quality. I will be practicing piano more at the end of this year. If you have time, please come and listen to my clumsy performance. I also occasionally play the piano at the cafe "Sampo-michi".

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...

　

今後の生き方に役に立つ「笑いヨガ」に参加

　午前中、喫茶「さんぽ道」で開かれた「笑いヨガ」に参加しましたら、楽しくて最初から笑いが止まらず、参加者は互いにすぐに打ち解けました。先生のご指導よろしきを得て、５人の参加者は互いにニックネームで呼び合う仲になり、私は皆さんにいつものカッキーと呼んでもらいました。

　勉強になったことは、笑うときは「表情豊かで」ということが大切と分かりました。息をしっかり吐く腹式呼吸で、お腹から声を出して笑うことや、鼻で息を吸うことで健康にとても役立つと気づきました。市会議員の「谷川留美子さん」も一緒に参加され、終始楽しそうでした。知り合いになれて良かったです。

　ところで、私は昨日まで３日間ほどの風邪が回復したので、午後になってから暫くぶりに「吉井ドリームセンター」で温まって来ました。実は、その帰路は珍しく上信越道の吉井～藤岡間に乗りましたらカーブの連続でしたが、暫くぶりに時速１００キロ走行したのでエンジンの調子維持に良かったと思います。しかし、距離が短く高速に乗った時間は１０分ほどでしたが、気分爽快でした。このため、今日は午前、午後共に充実した一日でした。

Dear my overseas friends who are interested in Nature, great music and laugh.

　In the morning, I participated in a "laughing yoga" class held at the cafe "Sampo-michi." From the beginning, it was so much fun that we couldn't stop laughing, and the participants quickly became friends each other. Thanks to the teacher's guidance, the five participants became friends and called each other by nicknames, so I am the usual Kakki.

　What I learned was that it is important to be expressive when laughing. I realized that laughing out loud from the stomach by breathing deeply from the abdomen and breathing in through the nose is very beneficial for our health. City council member "Rumiko Tanigawa" also participated to laugh from beginning to end, so that it was good for me to know her.

　Not change the subject, but I had been recovering from a cold for about three days until yesterday, so today's afternoon I warmed up at the Yoshii Dream Center after a long interval. Actually, on the way back, I took the Joshinetsu Expressway between Yoshii and Fujioka, which was unusual for me, but there were a lot of curves, I think it was good for keeping the engine condition because I was driving 100 kilometers per hour today. However, the distance was short and the ride on the highway only took about 10 minutes, so it was an exhilarating experience. As a result, both the morning and afternoon of today were fulfilling.

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...

【大雪】に負けず、孤食を避け、心を解放

　今宵は土曜日で大安だからでしょうか。寂しく哀れないつもの孤食を避け、高崎街中のお気に入り小料理屋「バク」で過ごし、心を解放したくなりました。

　ママさんが何でも話に乗ってくれるとても良いお店です。寒いので倉賀野から歩いて行かず、電車で行きます。日々、孤独でも、写真のクロガネモチのように、今後、情熱的に生きたいです。今宵は二次会へ来行きませんので、お許しください。では行って参ります。

Dear my overseas friends who like "Bottoms up" with me in heart

　Since tonight is on Saturday and a lucky night by the Japanese calendar. I want to avoid the usual lonely and pitiful eating alone and spend tonight at my favorite small tavern named "Baku," in downtown of Takasaki, and free my mind.

　It's a really nice tavern beyond your imagination, and the Mama has a flexible mind to talk about anything. It's cold, so instead of walking from Kuragano-town, I'll take the train. Even though I'm lonely every day, I want to live passionately from now on, just like the dwarf Chinese holly in the photo. Please forgive me because I won't go to the after-party tonight. Well, I'm off now.

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...

駱駝の「こぶ」の思い出

　男の一人暮らしの夕食ほど、この世で哀れなものはないでしょう【涙】。こんな生活がいつまで続くのでしょう。ということで今宵は暫くぶりに高崎の街に繰り出しますが、お許しください。これで、精神的に少しは「駱駝」という時間を味わいます。

　元・同僚ではありませんが、同じ職業の「時計屋の隣り」さんと退職後に知り合い、飲み友達です。今宵も一緒です。彼は度々、上毛新聞の読者投稿欄に文章が掲載されます。

　写真は内モンゴルの大草原で乗りました。ところで、乗り降りするとき駱駝は前後に物凄く揺れます。落ちそうになって、思わず「こぶ」に摑まっても柔らかくて掴みどころがありません。

Dear my Facebook friends abroad who like "Bottoms Up" with beer

　There is nothing more pitiful in the world than a man with eating dinner alone. [Tears] I wonder how long this life will continue. So, tonight I will dine out to the central city of Takasaki after a long interval. So please forgive me. This will be able to enjoy a little bit of "Rakuda" time mentally.

　Although he is not my former colleague, I met him named "next door to the watchmaker", who has the same occupation. After I retired, we are drinking buddies. He is with me tonight as well. His writings are often published in the reader's column of Jomo Shimbun newspaper in Gumma Prefecture.

　The photo shows a camel riding on the vast grasslands of Inner Mongolia. By the way, when getting on and off, the camel sways back and forth terribly. Even if you make a grab at the "hump" as you are about to fall, it is too soft to grab.

P.S.・・・・I didn't go to after-party and just got home safely. I'm sorry for your worrying me. I'll work hard again from tomorrow. Good Night.

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...

国際交流でも、日常生活でも、磨きたいユーモアのセンス

　写真左は昨日触れましたが、自然に生えたサルスベリの子供です。右は昨年秋に植えた柿の苗で品種名は「太秋」。今後の成長と収穫が楽しみです。

　ところで、ブログは早朝に書くことが殆どなので、日の出時刻の変化を感覚的に捉えてます。最近は夏至に比べ３０分以上も遅くなっており、日の入りも同様なので昼の時間は１時間以上短くなってます。因みに夏至の太陽高度は７７°【群馬県】でしたが、今日の太陽高度は６７°の予定で季節は急速に秋に向ってます。

　話題は全く変わりますが、現役時代と異なり、人前でスピーチする機会は殆どなくなりました。極少数の機会では、地区の会議や昔の学校仲間の会くらいです。しかし、近所の方々やラジオ体操仲間との雑談は毎日あります。実は、このようなときでも内心、心掛けてることがあります。

　一般論として、私を含め日本人は表情や表現力に乏しく、外国の方に比べ「ユーモアのセンスはあまり感じられません。」英語圏では５分間に一度は人を笑わせないと話が受けないらしく、会話やスピーチでは「ユーモアが大切な要素」といわれてます。ヨーロッパのように国境を挟んで常に外国人と出会う環境では、スムースな交流のためにユーモアは大切な要素なのでしょう。

　日本では多少の方言はあっても、どこに行っても日本語が通じ、言葉で困ることはありません。どちらかと言えば、顔の表情などで相手の気持ちを感じ取ります。しかし、世界に目を向けると、ユーモアは万国共通であり、話し相手と友好関係を成り立たせるためにユーモアのセンスは必須であり、ぜひ、磨きたいものです。拙い体験ではインド生活で日々ユーモアの必要性を体感してました。

　それを生かし、その後、私の家で生まれた鳩に再会するため一人で行った内モンゴルでは、パーティーで互いにユーモアを交え、楽しく日中交流ができました。ところで、私がユーモアを鍛錬する道場は小料理屋「バク」です。

Dear my friends abroad

　The simultaneous interpretation for your understanding will be after my radio gymnastics held in the nearby park and breakfast in Japan time.

.......................................【長いので英訳は３段目からです。】

　On a completely different topic, unlike when I was still active, I hardly have any opportunities to give speeches in front of people anymore. The only times I have the opportunity to speak before people are at local meetings or with my old school friends. However, I chat with my neighbors and my radio gymnastics friends every morning at 6:30. In fact, even at times like these, there is something I try to keep in mind.

　Generally speaking, Japanese people, including myself, are poor at expressing themselves and do not seem to have much of a sense of humor compared to foreigners. In English-speaking countries, if we don't make people laugh once every five minutes, our speech will not be well received, and it is said that humor is an important element in conversations and speeches. In an environment like Europe, where we constantly meet foreigners across borders, humor is probably an important element for smooth communication each other.

　In Japan, as you know, even if there are some dialects, the language of Japan is understood wherever we go, so we will not have any trouble with words. If anything, we can sense the other person's feelings from their facial expressions. However, if we look around the world, humor is universal, and a sense of humor is essential to building friendly relationships with our conversation partners, so it is something we should definitely improve our skill in a sense of humor. From my humble experience, I felt the need for humor in everyday life while living in India as a teacher of Japanese school at Calcutta.

　I made use of that experience, later I went alone to Inner Mongolia to reunion my pigeon that was born in my loft and flew all the way to Inner Mongolia beyond the Great Wall of China. We exchanged humor with each other at a party held in a pao and had a fun exchange between Japan and China. A sense of humor is important in international exchange and in everyday life. By the way, the practice hall where I train my sense of humor is the small tavern "Baku." in Takasaki-city.

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...

猛暑の午後・・・涼しい「さんぼ道」で自己を取り戻す

　今日は猛暑の午後、涼しい別天地「さんぽ道」でアイスコーヒーを戴きつつ、1時間ほど過ごしました。

　最初４人女性客がいましたが、途中から私一人になったので１０分間ほどピアノを弾かせてもらいました。「栄冠は君に輝く」「夜霧のしのび逢い」etc。通常、ピアノは歌の伴奏になることが多いですが、ピアノで歌の旋律を弾くと意外と楽しいものです。左手の伴奏はDurとmollの主要三和音のアルページョにしてます。

　元を正せば、フェイスブック友人「あつこさん」のページのお陰でここを知り、感謝しています。週に１～２回は訪れ、真夏の午後の時間を静かに涼しく過ごし、温厚この上ないママさんとの会話も楽しんでます。

Dear my friends who think quietly about the way of life

　On a scorching hot afternoon today, I spent about an hour sipping iced coffee in the cool space, and peaceful haven of Sampo-michi.

　At first there were four lady customers, but halfway I was left alone, so I played the piano for about 10 minutes. "The Crown Shines on You" and "Stealth in the Night Fog." Usually, the piano is used to accompany singing, but playing the melody of a song on the piano can be surprisingly fun. The left hand accompaniment is arpeggios of Major Triads of major and minor.

　To get back to the roots, I found out about this Cafe thanks to the page of my Facebook friend Ms. Atsuko, so I am very grateful. I visit once or twice a week to spend quiet and cool time and enjoy conversation with the extremely gentle proprietress of the cafe.

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