Cockroaches

今日高温は３9度だ。

とても蒸し暑いよ。

ゴキブリも家の中にエアコンが好きです。

私はゴキブリ大嫌いよ。

子供の時にフィリピンに住んでいました。

フィリピンはトロピカルですから、多いゴキブリいますよ。

オウスチンはゴキブリが多くないいますが、大きいです。

今朝と今晩息子の部屋にコキブリを見ました。

いや。いや。

二伸. スペイン語 [la cukaracha」。メキシコの歌は有名です。

Generally Speaking

Today's high temperature was 99F degrees. (A new record high for this date. Normally temperatures are around 85F degrees.)

The cockroaches are enjoying the air conditioned house. I hate cockroaches. When I was a child, I lived in the Philippines. Because it's in the tropics, there were a lot of cockroaches. (I'd wake up in the night and find them crawling on me.) Austin doesn't have as many cockroaches, but the ones we have are big.

I saw two cockroaches in my son's room, one this morning and one this evening. (shudder)

PS. In Spanish, cockroach is "la cukaracha". Mexico has this famous funny song about them.

Other People's Horror Stories

They got Kristen in the shower.

質問とコメント

1. I used to know the Japanese equivalent for the expression, "It makes my skin crawl." I've forgotten it, though. Does anyone know what I mean?"

2. Once to try to overcome my distaste for cockroaches, I watched the Japanese movie "Twilight of the Cockroaches" (ゴキブリたちの黄昏）. It didn't work. Have you ever seen this movie?

Street Legal

先月わ車検（しゃけん）を経過しましたが、昨日わ見ました。

そして今日私は車検がありました。

テキサスの車検は日本の車検より安い。

$12.50だけだった。（￥１５００ぐらい）

写真は取るのがガソリンスタンドで待っていました。

このがガソリンスタンドは郊外にあります。

Postscript

After my discussion with Mieko, I found a good description of all that goes into getting a car registered in Japan at Aranami.net.

Generally Speaking

My vehicle inspection expired last month, but I only noticed it yesterday. (Yikes!) So today I went and got one. Vehicle inspections are much cheaper in Texas than in Japan. Here it cost only $12.50 (a year), that is, about 1500 yen. I took these photographs at the gas station while I waited. This gas station is in the suburbs (about 5 miles west of my house).

Downtown Chicks

私の近所はにわとりいます。

畑地ありませんから、ちょっと変ですね。

自宅はこの道で坂の底にあります。

近所は下町に近くです。

そしてにわとりを持つのが変ですが、好きです。

Generally Speaking

Someone in my neighborhood keeps chickens. This is sort of strange because there are no farms around here. My house is at the bottom of the hill on this street. As you can see, it's very close to downtown. So having chickens is strange, but that's what I like about this neighborhood.

Mother's Day

昨日は母の日でした。

息子からDVDをもらいました。

このDVDの「Brideshead Revisited」が大好きです。

私は今朝歯医者に行きました。

親知らずを引き抜きました。

今日の午後気持ちが悪かったですけど、DVDを見ました。

それから気持ちがよくになった。

Generally Speaking

Yesterday was Mother's Day. I received a DVD from my son. This DVD, Brideshead Revisited, is one of my favorites.

This morning I went to the dentist. I had (three) wisdom teeth pulled. I spent this afternoon watching the DVD because I didn't feel well. After that, I felt much better.

質問とコメント

1. Brideshead Revisited was made for television in the early 1980s. After watching it, I read the novel and it became one of my favorite books. The early episodes take place at Oxford University. 2. When I met my husband, in the mid-1990s, I was very surprised to learn that Oxford was the university he attended. The first time we went to England together, he took me there to see it. It's amazing. Today, watching Brideshead, I realized again what a special person he is. Sometimes, living with someone every day, one forgets just how amazing they are.

Sorta

みえこさんの My Diary を読むのは面白い。

英語でと日本語でブログを書きます。

でも私はコメントを書くのはちょっとむすかしい。

そしてここにコメントを書きます。

たとえば、みえこさんはの「entry」の４月30日に「ちょっと」で書きました

「ちょっと」は英語で何と言いますか。

In addition to "a little", two other translations might be "sort of" (American, pronounced "sorta") and "a bit" (British). They aren't exactly interchangeable, though. They're just sorta the same--just a bit.

"Sort of" means "of the same kind (sort)" or "not exactly". So, to use Mieko's example A little strange, a little dislikeable, a little disgusting, a little interesting, ---- and a little big???, I, an American, would say "it was sorta strange; it was sorta disgusting; it was sort of big (but not really/exactly big).

Whereas my resident Brit would translate 「ちょっと待って下さい」as "Could you wait a bit, please?" Americans usually say, "Please wait a minute". However, you can't say "Please wait sort of."

Eclectic Neighborhood

近所の中に。

トラッド

古い

モダン

With a Name Like That...

...how can he lose?

今日は市の選挙。市長 candidate の名前は面白いですね。勝てますか。

Generally Speaking

Today, Austin is holding city elections. The mayoral candidate has an interesting name, doesn't he? With a name like "Will Wynn", do you think he "will win"?

質問とコメント

1. The other sign says "Vote here" and in the center it has "aqui". "Aqui" is Spanish for "here". The election ballots are bilingual: you can choose English or Spanish.

2. Today was the first time we use the new "electronic" ballots. Rather than punching paper ballots (like in the 2000 Presidential farce, I mean, election) the entire process is computerized. This doesn't seem to be a very secure system.

UT Tower

オーシテンの中にテキサス大学があります。

テキサス大学は英語で「The University of Texas 」です。

一番有名な建物はUTタワーです。

昨日の夜UTタワーはオレンジ色でした。

特異だけ時はレンジ色ですが、ぞのほかは白いです。

でも昨日の夜はどしての。わかりません。

Generally Speaking

Austin is home to the University of Texas (UT). The most famous building at UT is the tower. Last night it was orange. They only turn on the orange lights for special occasions. Otherwise, it's white. So what was the special occasion last night? I don't know.

The End is Near

今朝日本語の口述試験 [こうじゅつしけん]があった。

終わることがよかっただよ。

来週の水曜日本試験 [ほんしけん]がある。

そのあと日本語のクラスは終わる。

夏休みです。

きょうしつの外に

Generally Speaking

This morning I had my oral exam in Japanese class. Boy, am I glad that's over. Next Wednesday we have our final. After that, school's out for summer.