Tuesdays with Morrie -- Week 13

Hi, everyone:) Yesterday I went to see the movie ”The Perks of Being a Wallflower” with my friend. It was very amazing movie, and Emma Watson was appeared on the screen. She is very beautiful. I'd like to recommend it to you!

I finished reading the book, so I will write its last article!

 Morrie died on a Satuday morning.The funeral was held on a damp, windy morning. The grass was wet and the sky was the color of milk. Although hundreds of people had wanted to attend, Morrie's wife kept this gathering small, just a few close friends and relatives. It was Tuesday.

In this book, Mitch wrote the following:

"None of us can undo what we've done, or relive a life already recorded. But if Professor Morris Schwartz taught me anything at all, it was this: there is no such thing as 'too late' in life. He was changing until the day he said good-bye."

"The last class of my old professor's life took place once a week, in his home, by a window in his study where he could watch a small hibiscus plant shed its pink flowers. The class met on Tuesdays. No books were required. The subject was the meaning of life. It was taught from experience. The teaching goes on."


I was very happy to finish reading the book. It was nonfiction, so I deeply learned about the meaning of life. One of my favorite Morrie's words is that "there is no such thing as 'too late' in life." I want to continue to challenge myself to new things!

In next blog, I will introduce a new book! I hope you will be looking forward to it:D

Tuesdays with Morrie -- Week 12

Hi, everyone:) I watched the movies ”Ghost”, ”The terminator” and ”The Terminator 2: Judgment Day” last week. These movies are one of the masterpieces and their theme song is very famous! I enjoy watching them very much, but my best movie is ”The Terminator 2: Judgment Day” because this movie moved me deeply. Have you ever seen these movies?:D


The Thirteenth Tuesday: We Talk About the Perfect Day

Morrie wanted to be cremated. He had discussed it with his wife, and they decided it was the best way. And he began to tell Mitch the following.

"It's natural to die," Morrie said. "The fact that we make such a big hullabaloo over it is all because we don't see ourselves as part of nature. We think because we're human we're something above nature." He smiled at the plant. "We're not. Everything that gets born, dies." He looked at Mitch. "Do you accept that?"

"Yes," Mitch answered. "All right," he whispered, "now here's the payoff. Here is how we are different from these wonderful plants and animals. As long as we can love each other, and remember the feeling of love we had, we can die without ever really going away. All the love you created is still there. All the memories are still there. You live onーin the hearts of everyone you have touched and nurtured while you were here."

Morrie also said, "Death ends a life, not a relationship."


The Fourteenth Tuesday: We Say Good-bye

It was cold and damp as Mitch walked up the steps, to Morrie's house. Morrie's wife had called the day before to tell Mitch Morrie "was not doing well." This was her way of saying the final days had arrived. Morrie had cancelled all of his appointment and had been sleeping much of the time, which was unlike him. He never cared for sleeping, not when there were people he could talk with. "Morrie wants you to come visit," his wife said, "but, Mitch ．．．he's very weak."

Mitch entered the room, pushing a smile onto his face. Mitch and Morrie talked for a while, and then Mitch said, "I don't know how to say good-bye." Morrie patted Mitch's hand weakly, keeping it on his chest. "This ．．．is how we say ．．．good-bye ．．．" Morrie breathed softly, in and out, I could feel his rib cage rise and fall. Then he looked right at me. "Love ．．．you," he rasped. "Know you do ．．．know ．．．something else ．．．" Mitch asked, "What else do you know?" "You ．．．always have ．．．" Morrie's eyes got small, and then he cried, his face contorting like a baby who hasn't figured how his tear ducts work. Mitch held him close for several minutes. Mitch rubbed his loose skin. Mitch stroked his hair. Mitch put a palm against his face and felt the bones close to the flesh and the tiny wet tears, as if squeezed from a dropper.

When Morrie's breathing approached normal again, Mitch cleared his throat and said he knew Morrie was tired, so he would be back next Tuesday.

But they would never meet again.


I think the Morrie's words "Death ends a life, not a relationship" are so great! In next blog, I will write the last article of the book.

Tuesdays with Morrie -- Week 11

Hi, everyone:) We took TOEIC test four days ago, didn't we? I don't know if I can get a better mark than before, but I can feel my Reading Skills improved by reading a Western book. Don't you think so???

The Eleventh Tuesday: We talk About Our Culture

Outside, it was jacket weather, early October, the leaves clumped in piles on the lawns. Morrie's disease was now dangerously close to his surrender spot, his lungs. 

Morrie said, "The problem, Mitch, is that we don't believe we are as much alike as we are. Whites and blacks, Catholics and Protestants, men and women. If we saw each other as more alike, we might be very eager to join in one big human family in this world, and to care about that family the way we care about our town. But believe me, when you are dying, you see it is true. We all have the same beginningーbirthーand we all have the same endーdeath. So how difficult can we be? Invest in the human family. Invest in people. Build a little community of those you love and who love you."

Morrie squeezed Mitch's hand gently. Mitch squeezed back together. Morrie smiled and said, "In the beginning of life, when we are infants, we need others to survive, right? And at the end of life, when you get like me, you need others to survive, right?" Morrie's voice dropped to a whisper. "But here's the secret: in between, we need others as well."


The Twelfth Tuesday: We Talk About Forgiveness

The sky was rainy and dark, and Morrie was beneath a blanket. Mitch sat at the far end of his chair, holding his bare feet.

"Mitch," Morrie said. "It's not just other people we need to forgive. We also need to forgive ourselves."

"Ourselves?" Mitch asked.

"Yes," Morrie answered. "For all the things we didn't do. All the things we should have done. You can't get stuck on the regrets of what should have happened. That doesn't help you when you get to where I am. I always wished I had done more with my work; I wished I had written more books. I used to beat myself up over it. Now I see that never did any good. Make peace. You need to make peace with yourself and everyone around you."

Mitch learned over and dabbed at the tears with a tissue. Morrie flicked his eyes open and closed. His breathing was audible, like a light snore. Morrie said, "Forgive yourself before you die. Then forgive others."


I didn't know that I need to forgive myself. I'm always regretting things, but I want to forgive myself and go foreword from now on!

Tuesdays with Morrie -- Week 10

Hi, everyone:) I went to Kitano Tenmangu Shrine to see the autumn leaves last Sunday. They were very beautiful! (There is the picture below↓) I prefer Japanese maple to cherry blossom because the maple is so tasteful! How about you??:D














The Ninth Tuesday: We Talk About How Love Goes On

The leaves had begun to change color. Still, every morning Morrie instead on being lifted from his bed and wheeled to his study, deposited there among his books and papers and the hibiscus plant on the windowsill. In typical fashion, he found something philosophical in this.

Morrie said, "Love is how you stay alive, even after you are gone." He also said, "Part of the problem, Mitch, is that everyone is in such a hurry. People haven't found meaning in their lives, so they're running all the time looking for it. They think the next car, the next house, the next job. Then they find those things are empty, too, and they keep running."


The Tenth Tuesday: We Talk About Marriage

Mitch brought his wife to meet Morrie. She had never met him. She was a professional singer, so Morrie asked her to sing something for him. When she finished, Morrie opened his eyes and tears rolled down his cheeks. In all the years Mitch has listened to his wife sing, he never heard her the way Mitch did at that moment.

"Marriage. Almost everyone I knew had a problem with it. Some had problems getting into it, some had problems getting out. Why do we have such problems?" Mitch asked Morrie about this. 

"You get tested. You find out who you are, who the other person is, and how you accommodate or don't," Morrie said. "And there are a few rules I know to be true about love and marriage. If you don't respect the other person, you're gonna have a lot of trouble. If you don't know how to compromise, you're gonna have a lot of trouble. If you can't talk openly about what goes on between you. you're gonna have a lot of trouble. And if you don't have a common set of values in life, you're gonna have a lot of trouble. Your values must be alike. And the biggest one of those values is your belief in the importance of your marriage."

Morrie sniffed, then closed his eyes for a moment. "Personally," he sighed, his eyes still closed, "I think marriage is a very important thing to do, and you're missing a hell of a lot if you don't try it." He ended the subject by quoting the poem he believed in like a prayer: "Love each other or perish."


There are the three main choice in life: Going to university, Getting a job and Marriage. I learned that from a lecture. I want to get married in the near future, so Morrie's words are good for me.

Tuesdays with Morrie -- Week 9

Hi, everyone:) I went shopping yesterday. I bought some winter fashion items: a coat, a muffler and a pair of gloves. I'm happy to buy them because it is so cold in Kyoto. Did you buy anything for this winter?:D


The Seventh Tuesday: We Talk About the Fear of Aging

Morrie lost his battle, he was dependent on others for nearly everything. Later that day, Morrie and Mitch talked about aging.

"Weren't you ever afraid to grow old?" Mitch asked.

"Mithch, I embrace aging." Morrie answered, "It's very simple. As you grow, you learn more. If you stayed at twenty-two, you'd always be as ignorant as you were at twenty-two. Aging is not just decay, you know. It's growth. It's more than the negative that you've going to die, it's also the positive that you understand you're going to die, and that you live a better life because of it."

"Yes," Mitch said, "but if aging were so valuable, why do people always say 'Oh, if I were young again.' You never hear people say, 'I wish I were sixty-five.'"

Morrie smiled. "You know what that reflects? Unsatisfied lives. Unfulfilled lives. Lives that haven't found meaning. Because if you've found meaning in your life, you don't want to go back. You want to go forward. You want to see more, do more. You can't wait until sixty-five." Morrie continued, "You have to find what's good and true and beautiful in your life as it is now. Looking back makes you competitive. And, age is not a competitive issue."


The Eight Tuesday: We Talk About Money

Mitch glanced around Morrie's study. It was the same today as it had been the first day he arrived. In fact, Morrie really hand't bought anything new except medical equipment in a long, long time, maybe years. The day Morrie learned that he was terminally ill was the day he lost interest in his purchasing power.

Morrie said, "Money is not a substitute for tenderness, and power is not a substitute for tenderness. I can tell you, as I'm sitting here dying, when you must need it, neither money nor power will give you the feeling you're looking for, no matter how much of them you have." And he continued, "Remember what I said about finding a meaningful life? I wrote it down, but now I can recite it: Devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning."


I sympathized with the words that Morrie said "If you've found meaning in your life, you don't want to go back. You want to go forward. You want to see more, do more." I greatly admire his words every time.

Tuesdays with Morrie -- Week 8

Hi, everyone:) I went to see the movies ”Carrie” and ”Diana” with my friend lately. The former was very thrilling, but the latter was sad story. They are good movies, so I'd like to recommend them to you!


The Fifth Tuesday: We Talk About Family

It was the first week in September. Morrie and Mitch began to talk about family as usual.

"I think, in light of what we've been talking about all these weeks, family becomes even more important," Morrie said.

"The fact is, there is no foundation, no secure ground, upon which people may stand today if it isn't the family. It's become quite clear to me as I've been sick. If you don't have the support and love and caring and concern that you get from a family, you don't have much at all. Love is so supremely important. As our great poet Auden said, 'Love each other or perish.'"

"Love each pther or perish." Mitch wrote it down.

"Love each other or perish," Morrie said. "It's good, no? And it's true. Without love, we are birds with broken wings."


The Sixth Tuesday: We Talk About Emotions

The small horrors of his illness were growing, and when I sat down with Morrie, he was coughing more than usual.

"What I'm doing now," Morrie began to talk with his eyes closed, "is detaching myself from the experience."

"Detaching yourself?" Mitch asked.

"Yes. Detaching myself. And this is important not just for someone like me, who is dying, but for someone like you, who is perfectly healthy. Learn to detach." Morrie opened his eyes. He exhaled. "You know what the Buddishts say? Don't cling to things, because everything is impermanent."


I'm always supproted by my family and friends. These Morrie's words remind me of many important things.

Tuesdays with Morrie -- Week 7

Hi, everyone:) Today I watched the movie ”Tuesdays with Morrie” at home. I was vey moved, so I'd like to recommend it to you.

The Third Tuesday: We Talk About Regrets

Mitch arrived with a Sony tape recorder because he wanted to remember what he and Morrie talk about. Morrie willingly accepted it. Mitch turned on the tape recorder and they started to discuss regrets.


The Fourth Tuesday: We Talk about Death

Here in Morrie's office, life went on one precious day at a time. Now Morrie and Mitch sat together, a few feet from the newest addition: an oxygen machine. It was small and portable, about knee-high. 

"Everyone knows they're going to dye," Morrie said, "but nobody believes it. If we did, we would do things differently."

"So we kid ourselves about death," Mitch said.

"Yes. But there's a better approach. To know you're going to die, and to prepare for it at any time. That's better. That way you can actually be more involved in your life while you're living," Morrie said.

"How can you ever be prepared to die?" Mitch asked.

"Do what the Buddhists do. Every day, have a little bird on your shoulder that asks, 'Is today the day? Am I ready? Am I doing all I need to do? Am I being the person I want to be?' " Morrie said, "The truth is, Mitch, once you learn how to die, you learn how to live."

Mitch nodded.


These Morrie's words moved me deeply and I thought his idea about death was wonderful. I'm looking forward to reading next story!

Tuesdays with Morrie -- Week 6

Hi, everyone:) I will update my blog frequently!

The First Tuesday: We Talk About the World

Morrie and Mitch sat at the kitchen table, surrounded by wicker chairs and they began to talk.

 "Mitch, you asked about caring for people I don't even know. But can I tell you the things I'm learning most with this disease?" Morrie said.

"What's that?" Mitch asked.

Morrie said, "The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in." His voice dropped to a whisper. " Let it come in. We think we don't deserve love, we think if we let it in we'll become too soft. But a wise man named Levine said it right. He said, 'Love is the only rational act' " 

The Second Tuesday: We Talk about Feeling Sorry for Yourself

Mitch came back the next Tuesday. Meanwhile, he looked for signs of the disease's progression. Morrie's fingers worked well enough to write with a pencil, or hold up his glasses, but he could not lift his arms much higher than his chest. He was spending less and less time in the kitchen or living room.

Mitch asked Morrie if he felt sorry for himself.

"Sometimes, in the mornings," Morrie said. "That's when I mourn. I feel around my body, I move my fingers and my handsーwhatever I can still moveーand I mourn what I've lost. I mourn the slow, insidious way in which I'm dying. But then I stop mourning."

"Just like that?" Mitch said.

"I give myself a good cry if I need it. But then I concentrate on all the good things still in my life. On the people who are coming to see me. On the stories I'm going to hear. On youーif it's Tuesday. Because we're Tuesday people," Morrie said. "Mitch, I don't allow myself any more self-pity than that. A little each morning, a few tears, and that's all."

When Mitch helped lifting Morrie from the wheelchair to the recliner, he had the coldest realization that their time was runing out because Morrie's body was very weak. And he thought he had to do something.


These Morrie's words are sometimes difficult for me to understand, but these words reaches to my heart. 

Tuesdays with Morrie -- Week 5

Hi, everyone:) Today is a national holiday, isn't? Nevertheless, we have to go to the college. I wanted to sleep more...

Now, I will write about next story.

Mitch arrived at Morrie's house. Morrie saw him and hugged him tightly. And Morrie whispered "My old friend, you've come back at last." Then Mitch remembered graduation day, Morrie's tears at Mitch's departure, and shallowed because he knew, deep down, that he was no longer the good, gift-bearing student Morrie's remembered.

Morrie said to Mitch. "You know, Mitch, now that I'm dying. I've become much more interesting to people. They see me as a bridge. I'm not as alive as I used to be, but I'm not yet dead. I'm sort of . . . in-between. I'm on the last great journey here and people want me to tell them what to pack."

And he also talked about his disease. " I'm going to suffocate. Yes. My lungs, because of my asthma, can't handle the disease. It's moving up my body, this ALS. It's already got my legs. Pretty soon it'll get my arms and hands. And when it hits my lungs . . . I'm sunk. I maybe have four or five months, but I am surrounded by loving, caring souls."

Tuesday was a special day when Mitch was a college student. In fact, Tuesday had always been their day together. Most of Mitch's courses with Morrie were on Tuesdays, Morrie had office hours on Tuesdays. So when Mitch hugged Morrie good-bye, Morrie made a promise to come back and see him on Tuesday again. 

This book is full of Morrie's wonderful words, so I'm looking forward to introducing them to you.

Tuesdays with Morrie -- Week 4

Hi, everyone:) Recently I watched many interesting movies: ”Pride and Prejudice”, ”The Great Gatsby”, ”The Hobbit” and so on. Watching Western movie is one of my hobbies and it gives me various feelings. I also can practice listening comprehension!

Well, I will introduce next story of Tuesdays with Morrie.

Mitch wanted to be a pianist when he was young, but he couldn't make this dream come true, so now he works as a sports writer of Detroit Free Press. One day, Mitch watched Morrie in an interview on the TV show "Nightline" and he knew about Morrie's disease.

In the TV, Morrie was in a wheelchair full-time now, getting used to helpers lifting him like a heavy sack from the chair to the bed and the bed to the chair. He had begun to cough while eating, and  chewing was a chore. His legs were dead; he would never walk again. Yet he refused to be depressed. He wrote about live with death's shadow: " Accept the past as past, without denying it or discarding it"; " Learn to forgive yourself and to forgive others"; "Don't assume that it's too late to get involved." And he said that death should not be embarrassing.

Mitch was reminded of a promise he made sixteen years ago to keep in touch with Morrie. Now stricken with ALS, Morrie does not have much time left, so he decides to meet him again.

I will update my next blog soon!

Tuesdays with Morrie -- Week 3

Hi, everyone:) Recently, I stayed at my friend's house, went to see a movie, went shopping and went out for a dinner with my friends. So I had a good time with my friends, but, as a result, I neglected contributing my blog. Sorry...

I changed the book, so I'm reading Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom now. It is a true story about a college professor, Morrie Schwartz, and one of his students and the author of this book, Mitch Albom.  

Morrie was a great college professor and loved dancing, but he began to have trouble walking and sleeping in his seventies. When he went to see a doctor, he was told that he had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and he had two years left. He decided to make the best of his time left and would not be ashamed of dying.

The fall semester passed quickly. Morrie often entertained visitors. He had discussion groups about dying. He was intent on proving that the word "dying" was not synonymous with "useless."

The New Year came and went. Morrie held "living funeral" and said to everyone that this would be the last year of his life. He cried and laughed with them at "living funeral." 

Only Morrie wash't dead yet. In fact, the most unusual part of his life was about to unfold.

This book will make me think about my life and teach me many important things. I'll do my best to keep on reading this book!

The Princess Diaries -- Week 2

Hi, It's been a long time! Did you enjoy your summer vacation? I hope so:)
Now, We are supposed to read more than 300 pages in this semester again. A book which I chose is The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot. Do you know this book? This book was made into a film and Anne Hathaway acted the role of Mia who is a heroine. It is a wonderful movie, so I'd like to recommend it to you.

An introduction of The Princess Diaries which was written on the back cover is interesting and easy to understand, so let me quote this statement.

‘You're not Mia Thermopolis any more, honey,’
Dad said. I raised my head.
‘I'm not?’ I said, brinking. ‘Then who am I?’
He went, kind of sadly,
‘You're Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo, Princess of Genovia.’

A princess?? Me??? Yeah, right.

One minute Mia is totally normal. Next minute she is heir to the throne of Genovia. Can she be a princess? 

I am very excited to read this book:D

Romeo and Juliet -- Week 15

I finished reading Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare.

Juliet came up with the idea that she went to the priest and asked for his advice. Juliet went to the priest and asked him if there was a way to stop the wedding. He suggested the idea using a small bottle of herbal medicine. But, this plan was unsuccessful. Romeo who was convinced that Juliet was dead put the poison in a cup and drank it and died. Juliet woke up and saw that Romeo was holding a cup and guessed that he had killed himself. Then she took a knife and killed herself with it.

Capulet and Montague knew that Romeo and Juliet died because of them and two young people's death was made acutely aware of their folly. So they shook hands and agreed to be friends forever. Finally, the fighting between the two families was over.

I thought Romeo and Juliet was very, very sad story. I want to read other books which was written by William Shakespeare and also visit Verona which is the setting for this story sometime.

In conclusion, let me introduce my favorite and famous words which was written in Hamlet by William Shakespeare.

"To be, or not to be: that is the question."

Thank you very much for reading my blog.

Romeo and Juliet -- Week 14

I finished reading Chapter 7 and Chapter 8.

After the secret wedding, Juliet went home and waited for night to come. Romeo had promised to come and visit that night. But, suddenly, she was taught terrible news that Tybalt was killed and Romeo was banished from Verona. She was sighing away her days for a while.

One day, Capulet and his wife were talking to Paris who wanted to marry Juliet about her. None of them knew that she was secretly married to Romeo. So they decided to hold Paris and Juliet's wedding on Thursday and Capulet told his wife to prepare their daughter. However, Juliet refused to marry Paris, so her father was very, very, angry. He told her that she was an ungrateful daughter. He shouted at her and he also told her that if she wouldn't marry Paris, she would not live in this house and he would't look after her. Juliet cried and told her parents that she could't marry Paris. However, they left her room.

I'm looking forward to read next chapter!

Romeo and Juliet -- Week 13

I finished reading from Chapter 1 to Chapter 6.

In the beautiful city of Verona in Northern Italy, there were two families who didn't like each other. In fact, they hated each other. The name of one of the families was Capulet, and the other family was called Montague. They had been fighting each other for over one hundred years, and quite a few people had been killed during that time. Sometimes there people, who didn't belong to these two families, were hurt in the fights. Everybody wished that they would stop fighting.

Romeo who was Montague's son met Juliet who was Capulet's daughter at the party and they fell in love. Although they found out that they were enemies and their love did matter, they managed to keep their love secretly. After a while, they held a secret wedding and they hoped that the marriage of Romeo and Juliet would help to make the two families friendly with each other, so that the fighting would stop.

But, Mercutio who was Romeo's friend and Tybalt who was Capulet's nephew started to fight on the street. Romeo asked Benbolio who was Montague's nephew to help Mercutio stop the fight. However, Tybalt hit Mercutio with his sword. Then Tybalt and his friends ran away. Romeo felt very bad because his friend was hurt. Suddenly, Benvolio cried out and said that Mercutio was dead. Romeo was very upset and ran outside. He found Tybalt and told him that he had killed Mercutio. He took out his sword and they started to fight. Tybalt was a very good fighter, but Romeo was so angry that he became an even better fighter and killed him. Romeo was banished from Verona.

I'm excited to read next chapter!

Romeo and Juliet -- Week 12

I am reading Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. This book is the most famous William Shakespeare's plays. When I was a high school student, I watched the movie which was showed in 1968. It moved me deeply and I took to this theme song. I think everyone has heard it. Although I am reading the book which is easier than the original, I will read the original in the near future.


Let's introduce a synopsis of Romeo and Juliet in brief. Romeo who is Montague's son falls in love with Juliet who is Capulet's daughter, but he finds out that it does matter. It makes all the difference in the world, because both families hate each other bitterly. For a while, Romeo and Juliet manage to keep their love secretly. But, finally, their concealed marriage drive them toward tragedy. This romantic tragedy has long captured the hearts of audience and become part of the literary heritage of all people in all nations.

I would like to enjoy reading it.

Matilda -- Week 11

I finished reading Matilda, so I'm going to write about last chapter.

One day, Matilda visited Miss Honey's cottage and heard about her story. Matilda knew that Miss Honey's awful aunt was Miss Trunchbull and Miss Trunchbull lived in the comfortable house which was originally Miss Honey's. Matilda came home and started to think about a plan for helping Miss Honey. After a while, she came up with the wonderful plot.

The next day, Matilda's plot was a great success and she could help Miss Honey. She was very satisfied because Miss Honey was pleased. But when she came home, her parents suddenly told her that they would go to Spain. Matilda started to cry and told them that she wouldn't go there and would stay here. Then she headed straight towards Miss Honey's house and asked Miss Honey for help. They went to Matilda's house and Miss Honey said to her parents that she would love to have Matilda and look after her with loving care. The parents gave them permission and then the mother and father and brother were inside the car and  the car was pulling away with the tires screaming and disappearing for ever into the distance. Perhaps Matilda and Miss Honey would have happy lives.

I could enjoy Matilda's world and at the same time this book taught me many important things. Matilda is a little girl, but she has a strong will and lives powerfully. I have much to learn from her.

I'm happy if you read my blog and were interested in this book. In next blog, I will introduce a new book! I hope you will be looking forward to it. Thank you for reading my blog.

Matilda -- Week 10

It was fun to read this chapter which was written about Lavender's plot.

Before the first week of term was up, awesome stories about the Headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, began to filter through to the new students. Matilda and Lavender who was her new friend, standing in a corner of the playground during morning-break on the third day, were approached by a rugged ten-year-old girl called Hortensia. She started to talk about Miss Trunchbull. Matilda and Lavender heard that Miss Trunchbull confined a student in a very narrow cupboard and threw a student like a hammer. They began to feel discontented with Miss Trunchbull.

One day, Miss Honey told her students that it is the Headmistress's custom to take over the class for one period each week and she does this with every class in the school and each class has a fixed day and a fixed time. Miss Honey also told them that there is always two o'clock on Thursday afternoons in her class, so tomorrow at two o'clock Miss Trunchbull will be taking over from Miss Honey for one lesson. As soon as Lavender heard this, she started to think about her artifice to Miss Trunchbull because she longed to do something truly heroic like Matilda. She came up with a brilliant plot at home.

The next day, Lavender's plot using a newt was a great success, so her classmates were delighted because they could revenge on Miss Trunchbull.

I thought Lavender was also bright. I'm excited about reading next chapter!

Matilda -- Week 9

The chapter which I finished reading was Matilda's first school attendance.

She was five and a half when she entered school for the first time because her parents were not very concerned about their daughter's education. Crunchem Hall Primary School which she entered had about two hundred and fifty schoolchildren aged from five to just under twelve years old. The head teacher, the boss, the supreme commander of this establishment, was a formidable middle-aged lady whose name was Miss Trunchbull. Naturally Matilda was put in the bottom class, where there were eighteen other small boys and girls about the same age as her. Their teacher was Miss Honey who was more than twenty-three or twenty-four years old. She was a mild and quite person who never raised her voice and was seldom seen to smile, but there is no doubt she possessed that rare gift for being adored by every small child under her care.

Matilda was a genius at school, so she had a commanding presence in front of her classmates and her teacher. But she displayed almost no outward signs of her brilliance and she never showed off. It was therefore easy for her to make friends with other children. All those in her class liked her.

I will contribute next article soon!

Matilda -- Week 8

I finished reading the chapter which was written about Matilda's third revenge on his father.

One day, Matilda was scolded by her father because she adopted an impertinent attitude. But she thought she was right, so she decided to inflict severe punishment on him.

The next morning she got up early and went into the bathroom. Then she mixed the hair dye which her father uses every month with  the other one which was included terribly strong chemicals and her mother uses. So far so good. At breakfast time Matilda sat quietly at the dining-room table eating her cornflakes. Her brother sat opposite her with his back to the door devouring his breakfast. The mother was just out of sight around the corner in the kitchen making the father's breakfast. After a while, the father had his hair set by using that hair dye and came noisily into the room. At first no one noticed change of his hair, but the mother looked at her husband and let out a scream. "Your hair! What've you done to your hair?" she said. Her brother also noticed the father's change, while the father couldn't understand the situation. Matilda said nothing. She simply sat there admiring the wonderful effect of her own handiwork. The father told his wife to give him a mirror and looked at his own face. He was very surprised because his fine crop of black hair was now a dirty silver. The mother said, "My hair dye is terribly strong. I'm only meant to use one tablespoon of it in a whole basin of water and you've gone and put it all over your head neat! It'll probably take all your hair off in the end!" He asked his family what he should do and Matilda said, "I'd give it a good wash, Dad, if I were you, with soap and water. But you'll have to hurry." Then the father told his wife to make an appointment with her hairdresser and went to the bathroom quickly. Matilda was very satisfied with her revenge this time too.

Next chapter is Matilda's first school attendance, so I am looking forward to reading it!

Matilda -- Week 7

It was very enjoyable to read this chapter which was written about Matilda's second revenge on his father.

There was comparative calm in the Wormwood household for about a week after the Superglue episode. The experience had clearly chastened Matilda's father and he seemed temporarily to have lost his taste for boating and bullying. Then suddenly he stuck again because perhaps he had a bad day at the workshop. When he arrived back from the workshop that evening his face was dark as thunder-cloud. He glared at Matilda who was reading a book and began to take it out on her. With frightening suddenness he now began ripping the page out of the book in handfuls and throwing them in the waste-paper basket. Most children in Matilda's place would have burst into floods of tears, but she didn't do that. She sat there very still and white and thoughtful.  Her wonderfully subtle mind was already at work devising yet another suitable punishment for the poisonous parent.

The following afternoon, Matilda went to meet Fred who was her friend and had a great talking parrot. After she borrowed the parrot which could say "Hello, hello, hello!" and "Rattle my bones!" from Fred and came home, she set about wedging the cage up the chimney which was in the dining-room. That evening while the mother, the father, the brother and Matilda were having supper as usual in the living-room, a voice came loud and clear from the dining-room across the hall. "Hello, hello, hello," it said. They were frightened to hear that voice. The mother told her husband to go and look, but he was petrified with terror. After a while, They decided to go and look together. When they arrived at the dining-room, the voice came once again. "Rattle my bones," it said. They all jumped, including Matilda. They stared round the room, but there was still no one there, so they except Matilda stood rooted to the spot in sheer terror. She was very satisfied with this revenge.

I am looking forward to reading her next revenge!

Matilda -- Week 6

The chapter which I finished reading this time was Matilda's first revenge on her father, so it was very interesting.

Matilda's father is a dealer in second-hand cars. One day, he talked to his children about one of the great secrets of his success. But Matilda interfered in his business in the middle of the conversation, so he flied into a rage and they started to quarrel. After a while, their quarrel was settled, but Matilda could feel the anger boiling up inside her. She also resented being told constantly that she was ignorant and stupid when she knew she wasn't. The anger inside her went on boiling and boiling, and as she lay in bed that night she made a decision. She decided that every time her father or her mother was beastly to her, she would get her own back in some way or another. A small victory or two would help her to tolerate their idiocies and would stop her from going crazy.

The following morning, just before her father went out for work, Matilda slipped into the cloakroom and got hold of the hat he wore each day to work. Matilda, holding the hat in one hand and a thin tube of Superglue in the other hand, proceeded to squeeze a line of glue very neatly all round the inside rim of the hat. Then she carefully hooked the hat back on to the peg with the walking-stick. Her father didn't notice anything when he put the hat on, but when he arrived at the workshop he couldn't get it off. Superglue is very powerful stuff, so powerful it will take your skin off if you pull too hard. He didn't want to be scalped so he had to keep the hat on his head the whole day long. When he got home that evening he still couldn't get the hat off. Furthermore, it wasn't loose by the morning and it wouldn't slip off. So Matilda's mother took a pair of scissors and cut the thing off his head, bit by bit, first the top and then the brim. After a while, he finished up with a bald white ring round his head, like some sort of a monk. Matilda was deeply satisfied to look her father's head because she could get her own back on him.

I thought Matilda was a really genius. I'm very excited about reading her revenge story!

Matilda -- Week 5

Sorry... I neglected reading the book and contributing my blog for a while.

From now, I make an effort to do it continuously.

The main character is Matilda who is a five-year-old girl. She is sensitive and brilliant, but above all she is brilliant. Her mind is so nimble and she is so quick to learn that her ability should have been obvious even to the most half-witted of parents. But Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood who are her parents show no interest at all in their children and were both so gormless and so busy in their own silly lives that they failed to notice anything unusual about their daughter. Matilda's older brother, Michael, is a perfectly normal boy, but the sister, Matilda, is an extra-ordinary girl. By the age of one and a half her speech was perfect and she knew as many words as most grown-ups. By the time she was three, she had taught herself to read by studying newspapers and magazines that lay around the house. At the age of four, she could read fast and well and she naturally began hankering for books.

Nearly every weekday afternoon Matilda is left alone in the house because her brother goes to school and her father goes to work and her mother goes out playing bingo in a town eight miles away. Her mother loves bingo and plays it five afternoons a week. The afternoon of one day, Matilda set out all by herself to walk the public library in the village because her father refused to buy her a book. When she arrived, she introduced herself to the librarian, Mrs. Phelps, and asked if she might sit awhile and read a book. Mrs. Phelps was very surprised at the arrival of such a tiny girl unaccompanied by a parent, nevertheless told her she was very welcome. From then on, every afternoon, Matilda went to the library and devoured one book after another. Before long she was taught that public libraries like this allowed you to borrow books, so she took them home and she began to read a book there.

I look forward to reading the next chapter!

Matilda -- Week 4

Much to my regret, I changed the book to read because it is difficult for me to read Anne of Green Gables. There are oldish expressions that I cannot understand and many words that I don't know in it. However, Anne of Green Gables is a really wonderful book, so I will study English harder to try again in the near future.

Now I am reading Matilda by Roald Dahl. I love his books because they are so amusing. When I was a high school student, I read The Witches and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory written in English. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is his masterpiece because this book was made into a film. When I was a child, I also read Matilda written in Japanese. This book threw me into ecstasies and I read it repeatedly, so this is my favorite book.

Let's introduce a synopsis of Matilda. Matilda is a sweet, five-year-old genius with horrible. However, her parents look upon her as nothing more than a scab. At school she gets along well with her classmates, but there is Miss Trunchbull who is two hundred pounds of kid-hating headmistress and torments many students. In short, this is the thrilling revenge story of Matilda who fights against tyrannical and high-handed adults with brains.

I would like to enjoy reading it.

Anne of Green Gables -- Week 3

I am reading Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. When I was twelve years old, I read this book written in Japanese for a book report. I loved Anne and her fancy world because she gave me a dream and courage. I admired her life, so I kept thinking I would like to read the book written in real language, English sometime.

Let's introduce a synopsis of Anne of Green Gables. Eleven-year-old Anne Shirley has never known a real home because she is an orphan. When she is sent by mistake to live with Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert at the snug white farmhouse called Green Gables, she wants to stay forever. But she is not the sturdy boy whom Matthew and Marilla were expecting. She is a mischievous talkative redheaded girl with an enormous imagination. All she has ever wanted is to belong somewhere. And the longer she stays at Green Gables, the harder it is for anyone to imagine life without her.

There is my favorite words in Anne of Green Gables. The words is that “Marilla, isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet ?” The words that Anne said always encourage me, so I decided to title my blog “Tomorrow is a new day.”

I want to enjoy Anne's world and learn an important thing from this book.

Self-Introduction

Hello! My name is Yurina Yamada. I am from Shizuoka, Japan. In Shizuoka, Mt.Fuji looks so beautiful. When I was an elementary school student, We climbed Mt.Fuji for a school trip. Although we could not reach the summit, we enjoyed climbing and camping. What impressed me most about this trip was clouds. We could look down from the mountain at it and also look at it moving fast. I will never forget this experience.


I love seeing Western movies. I started to have strong interests on them after visiting the Universal Studios Japan when I was twelve years old. There were many attractions based on Hollywood movies, so I got interested in Western movies. My favorite movies are Les Miserables and Harry potter. Les Miserables moved me deeply and taught me about true love. I also love this movie's songs and hear it everyday. Harry potter is a wonderful movie. My favorite movie in the series is Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets because Dobby is so cute. I would like to visit the location of this movie sometime.

My goal is to study abroad and travel around the world, because I am interested in foreign countries. When I was a high school student, I stayed in Oxford for three weeks, in order to study English. I had a wonderful time.( A picture of Big Ben that I took from London Eye is above.)
I will study English hard, and I want to reach this goal. Thank you.