January 4, 2013

The new year began in no time.
Time flies like an arrow.

In December, I had a series of troubles for some reasons.
The trouble of the car, some human relations I was disgusted by,
the hospitalization of the eldest son.
I guess these were hard things but very good exeperiences for me.

I heard from my husband that our staying in US is drawing to an end.
So I would like to live a full life more.

My to do list in 2013;
: healther life and lose my weight 4~5 pounds
: positive attitude, not particular about a past
: to all people respect, especially my husband
: don't think about "all or nothing"
: going on a volunnter

 
   

November 9, 2012

The American political situation calmed down again.
Of course, our family isn't American citizens so we are not related to that directly.
Time is moving toward step by step.
The daylight saving time finished by last week it seems almost winter now.  

ESL theme: the review of Pardon That Turkey

<review>
This book is summary about Thanksgiving story.
The beginning of the book is about how to start and  be declared Thanksgiving.

My image of Thanksgiving was just that the early American settlers who survived that first year in their hometown gathered together to feast and give thanks.

I didn't know that a special woman, Sarah Josepha Hole, had to fight to have declared for long time, so I felt interesting.

After seventeen years and thousands of letters to Presidents, congressmen and local officials, Sarah's fight had come to end.

President Lincoln saw her point. After the civil war, the country did need something to help pull it together.

In 1863, he declared Thanksgiving a national holiday.
It would be celebrated every year on the last Thursday in November.

ESL theme : American Colonies

1, Original map

Colonies During the French and Indian Wars, 1754-1763

The Original 13 English Colonies 1607-1733

2, Names of the first 13 colonies and History

The Thirteen Colonies were some of the colonies on the Atlantic coast of North America founded between 1607 (Virginia) and 1733 (Georgia) by a variety of interests from England and later Great Britain. They are best known as the founding political entities of the United States of America.

The colonies were: Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts Bay, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, and Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Each colony developed its own system of self-government. Residents of these colonies were mostly independent farmers, who owned their own land and voted for their local and provincial government. Benjamin Franklin, in 1772, after examining the wretched hovels in Scotland surrounding the opulent mansions of the land owners, said that in New England "every man" is a property owner, "has a Vote in public Affairs, lives in a tidy, warm House, has plenty of good Food and Fuel, with whole clothes from Head to Foot, the Manufacture perhaps of his own family." Following aseries of protests in the 1760s and 1770s, these colonies united militarily in opposition to Great Britain and the rule of King George III with the outbreak of theAmerican Revolutionary War in 1775. In 1776 they declared their independence and formed a new nation, the United States of America.

Before independence, the thirteen were part of a larger set of colonies in British America. Those in the British West Indies, Newfoundland, the Province of Quebec,Nova Scotia and East and West Florida remained loyal to the crown throughout the war, although there was a degree of sympathy with the Patriot cause in several of them. However, their geographical isolation and the dominance of British naval power precluded any effective participation.

The British empire settled its first permanent colony in the Americas at Jamestown, Virginia in 1607. This was the but the first of 13 colonies in North America. The 13 colonies can be divided into three regions: New England, Middle, and Southern colonies. The chart below provides additional information include: years of settlement and founders.

Sort: Colony Name, Year

View: List

COLONY NAME	YEAR FOUNDED	FOUNDED BY	BECAME ROYAL COLONY
Virginia	1607	London Company	1624
Massachusetts	1620	Puritans	1691
New Hampshire	1623	John Wheelwright	1679
Maryland	1634	Lord Baltimore	N/A
Connecticut	c. 1635	Thomas Hooker	N/A
Rhode Island	1636	Roger Williams	N/A
Delaware	1638	Peter Minuit and New Sweden Company	N/A
North Carolina	1653	Virginians	1729
South Carolina	1663	Eight Nobles with a Royal Charter from Charles II	1729
New Jersey	1664	Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret	1702
New York	1664	Duke of York	1685
Pennsylvania	1682	William Penn	N/A
Georgia	1732	James Edward Oglethorpe	1752

November 8, 2012

My English skill is a little bit better than as before so it makes me energetic.
It is fun for me to communicate with others recently.
Now, I don't feel some hesitation and irritation and can relax to communicate with a native people.
It is like a treasure for me so I can spend my life in USA as it's in own country, still more.

November 5, 2012

Today was a lucky day.
In second ESL class, the senior woman said to me " You are with a nice air, aren't you?".
It made me stare in surprise, but I felt so glad more and more.

After that in the evening, there was a Parent-Teacher conference for my younger son's class.
I and his teacher talked about him for about 20 minutes by myself.
It was no problem and I could ask her almost questions, so I have satisfaction with that.

I would like to keep such a happy things in my mind as long as I can.

  

November 3, 2012

I think it would be best to stay calm mind every day.
I want to always stay positive, sometimes I can not.

Now, I have a challenge to change the way of thinking of myself.
Because I tend to take things too seriously about human relations.
I'm a bright personality to the surface, the inner one is not really,and  I get nervous sometimes.

My age is probably about a half of my life.
It is very important for me how to enjoy and how I spend gently the rest of my life.

ESL theme: Electoral votes states

Election day is Tuesday, November 6th.
We were talking about the voting system in USA.

The followings are the electoral votes and population(estimate for July 1,2011).

<Top 5 states>
1    California     55           37,691,912
2    Texas           38           25,674,681
3    New York    29          19,465,197
4    Florida         29          19,057,542
5    Illinois          20          12,869,257
5   Pennsylvania 20          12,742,886

<Bottom 5 states>
1   Wyoming     3            568,158
2   Vermont      3            626,431
3   North Dakota 3         672,591
4  Alaska             3         722,718
5  South Dakota  3          824,082

2012 Electoral Map in USA

Democratic Party: Obama

Republican Party: Romney

 

November 1, 2012

Today is the normal day after Halloween.
It seems everything is quietly more than as usual.
Many trees on the road sides are very beautiful color so I can enjoy seeing them everyday.

I've cut my hair after a long time and felt refreshed very much.
It might be my feeling was lighter,too.

October 30,2012

Hurricane Sandy has almost gone from our town.
But it made the weather get cold and windy still now.
I try to be good health for my children.

I was able to solve one of the issues so I was relieved today.
A positive attitude is very important.
I would want to be a smile what hard times.

Dogwood in Autumn NC

 

ESL theme:Jack-o'-lantern

A modern jack o' lantern is typically a carved pumpkin, although originally typically large turnips.
 It is associated chiefly with the holiday of Samhain and halloween and was named after the phenomenon of strange light flickering over peat bogs, called ignis fatuus or jack o' lantern.
 In a jack o' lantern, typically the top is cut off, and the inside flesh then scooped out; an image, usually a monstrous face, is carved out, and the lid replaced. It is typically seen during Halloween.

Jack-o'-lantern

ESL theme: My favorite Japanese music video

I learned to embed a video on my blog in ESL class today.

This is my favorite Japanese music video which is the song of the Japanese movie.
The group is RAM WIRE, and the name of song is AYUMI, its' rough meaning of "walking in own life"
I like this melody and words which encourage me very much.

October 26,2012

It is drizzling right now and the sky is dark.
It seems a hurricane gets closer to North Carolina more and more.

I was very moody in this week and so tired.
But I can switch my feeling because I am diverted from my cares by doing something as a mother.

Autumn in North Carolina

October 25,2012

There were things to reflect on me, I can't agree with everything still now.
I've been growing more and more angry with him.

It is the fact that is different from the male brain and the female one.
The male and the female can't understand each other everything, absolutely.

He seems to have needless fear for me.
It is not necessary he think of it because it is my business not his.
Anyway, I told him everything to say on that day, so I try to forget it.

Jack-o'-Lantern

October 23,2012

Last night , my husband complained to me about my attitude in a few weeks.
It is rare thing so that it make me think very much.

I have something on my mind recently and I wrote same things on this blog already.
It stands to reason that he talked to me, but I could't agree with everything.

Cosmos

October 22,2012

I want to be good control of appetite but I can't win from the temptation of sweets.
Last year, I was success to lose my weight perfectly.
But now, I can't have passion to diet at all so it is the glory of the past.
I think it is not good time for me.
However, It seems the excuse to get away from it.

October 20,2012

I have always thought I would like to focus on what to do by myself  for some time.
I want to be good at thinking of switching.

Recently, I think I need to train how to focus on something.
It is important how determined I am, maybe.
Will I try to meditation?

  

October 19, 2012

I feel that this week passed speedy. I was pressed by some various things I had to do as a mother.
I don't know if I spent a full life or not right now.
Anyhow, I am enjoying to live and love nature in NC very much.

squirrel in NC

ESL theme : NC State Fair

The North Carolina State Fair is an annual fair and agricultural exposition held in Raleigh, and North Carolina, and organized by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

The fair has been held at its present site on the western edge of Raleigh since 1928. The 344 acre site includes many notable buildings, including Dorton Arena, a 7,500-seat arena constructed with a unique large suspended roof.
Held for 11 days in mid-October, the fair attracts more than a million people to the N.C. State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. In 2010, the fair broke an attendance record with 1,091,887.

A view from the Midway with Dorton Arena in the background

There are a lot of exhibits, competitions and entertainment.
It is good for the family.

October 17,2012

Recently, I eat too much because of some stress around me.
I know that is not good for my physical health but mental one very much.
It is the fact I regreted to do that everytime.

Actually,I am trying to lose my weight 2kg, but I can't.
I'd like to stop doing that and enjoy eating a suitable amount of dishes every meal.

Life is hard to me sometimes.
But I'd like to do my best in my own way.