Weekly Topics/Archive
January 2011
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It was around 3 a.m. when I went to bed after enjoying live coverage of
the final game of
AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2011.
While I was watching the final on TV, my dog, Mac, was sleeping curled up on his favorite
legless chair.
Mac is old and has lost his hearing.
And so it seemed he was getting enough sleep without regard to noisy sounds
from TV.
On the other hand, I was watching the game on TV, sipping sake with snacks
which
I stocked up with for long watching.
Around 3 a.m. after the game, I went upstairs to go to bed with him.
Around 6:30 a.m., I woke up just when Mac pawed and licked my face.
The behavior is his habit and his sign that he beg for me to take him for
a morning walk.
So, I came down to going for a walk with my dog around the park near my
home for almost
an hour.
By the way, regarding the final，Japan's national team led by coach Alberto
Zaccheroni
played against Australia led by Holger Osieck.
It was kicked off at Khalifa Stadium in Doha, Qatar at 6 p.m. local time.(at
midnight Japan time)
In the 4th minute of the scoreless second half in extra time, Nagatomo turned his marker
inside out on the left touchline and sent in a superb cross toward the
unmarked forward,
Tadanari Lee.
And then he made an artistic volley inside the left post with his left
foot.
It became Japan's winning goal.
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In the 4th minute of the second half in extra time, Tadanari Lee volleyed
a cross ball from Nagatomo
inside the post.
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GK Kawashima
who did a good
job repeateadly |
Withstanding Australia's repeated offense which took advantage of their
height
with GK Kawashima's brilliant saves，Japan won fourth Asian title maintaining
his concentration till the end of the game.
It was really a good game !
Anyway，I wasn't so bothered by lack of sleep.
Maybe it is because I had a comfortable feeling with Japan victory.
That's so surprising !
[Note] get enough sleep ； ぐっすり眠る、 live coverage ； 実況(生)中継
AFC Aian Cup Qatar 2011 ； AFC アジアカップ カタ−ル2011
the final ； 決勝、 sleep curled up ； 丸くなって眠る、 legless chair ； 座椅子
lose one's hearing ； 耳が聞こえなくなっている、 without regard to 〜 ； 〜を気にせず、〜などお構いなく
sip sake ； 酒をちびりちびり飲む、 stock up with 〜 ； 〜を買いこむ、 paw ； (動物が足で)を引っ掻く
lick ； を舐める、 almost an hou r ； 小1時間、 beg for someone to do 〜 ； (人)に〜するようにせがむ
come down to doing 〜 ； 〜する羽目になる、 by the way ； ところで
Alberto Zaccheroni ； アルベルト ザッケロ−ニ(サッカ−・日本代表監督)
Holger Osieck ； ホルガ− オジェック(サッカ−・オ−ストラリア代表監督)
Qatar ； カタ−ル、 in the _th minute of the second half ； 後半戦の＿分に
in the extra time ； 延長戦で、 turn 〜 inside out ； 〜をかわす，〜を逆にする
scoreless ； 0 対0 (無得点)の、 superb ； (質が)素晴らしい
take advantage of 〜；うまく利用する、 make an artistic volley ； きれいなボレ−シュ−トを放つ
Japanese Diary / No.339−2011.01.30 / 「今日は寝不足です」
Since I didn't have any story for the past week，I've got away from updating the Diary and
the Weekly Topics on my website for a while.
And so I went out to Kyoto to get a popular topic today.
The topic is the ekiden on the above caption.
Since Ekiden relay race was scheduled to start at 12:30p.m., I left my home in Kusatsu about
two hours before the starting time.
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This was the second time that it snowed in Kusatsu this season
(around Shimogasa bus stop) |
In Kusatsu，it was snowing from morning and this was the second time to
snow this season.
I took a bus while I was concerned about the possibility that the race
would be cancelled
due to snow.
However，to my surprize，it was clear when JR train entered Kyoto Prefecture
through Shiga Prefecture.
I arrived at Nishikyogoku Athletics Stadium around 40 minutes earlier than
the starting time.
47 prefectural teams run 9-leg, 42.195 Km relay race from the stadium to
the turn-around point
in front of Kyoto International Conference Hall, then back to the stadium
again，while they
pass their team's sash at each relaying point.
At the stadium，Cheering groups from many prefectures have already been
seated，while
flying many flags with their prefectural name behind them.
At just 12：30 p.m., 47 runners started to run the first leg of the race
at the sound of the signal
gun.
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47 runners on the starting line who run the first leg of the race
(1 minute 15 seconds before it starts.) |
After they ran around the track，they raced off toward the street of the
city.
Today I'm going to devote myself to chase the runners and then cheer equally
for all the runners.
I went to Gojyo station by taxi and since then，I've used the Kyoto City
Subway.
I got to Marutamachi-Kawaramachi earlier than runners，where is third relaying
point.
Well，what do you think is the team that run through the 3rd relaying point
in the lead ?
A runner from Tochigi was at the top，followed by one from Fukuoka, Hyogo, Kanagawa
prefecture and so on.
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| Runners of teams from Oita, Fukui and Fukushima who are running as fast
as they can. |
Next I went to the turn-around point in front of Kyoto International Conference
Hall from here.
Though I worried about whether almost runners have already run through
there or not, I was in
time to see the race.
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Policewomen from Kyoto Prefectural Police who lead way on the police bikes
(Around Kyoto International Conference Hall) |
Runners came running, led by two policewomen on bikes from Kyoto Prefectural
Police.
Policewomen on the bikes, that's so cool !
Umm，this could go either way !
As for ranking at this point, Hyougo was followed by Fukuoka, Kyoto, Aichi
and so on.
Every time runners ran past us, I couldn't help cheering, saying, "Go
for it ! "
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| Runners who run to the fifth relaying point one after another |
The last place where I came to cheer them is the 7th relaying point in
Marutamachi-Kawaramachi.
Unfortunately the leading group has already run through there.
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| A runner from Toyama running the 7th leg at the bottom |
After watching the last runner from Toyama Prefecture run off, I went to
Kyoto station by subway.
I went into a machiya-style restaurant and drunk warm sake with takoyaki,
a snack with a small
piece of sliced octopus in it to warm myself.
It was because it was so cold to occasionally have a dusting of snow with outdoor temperature
of 2 degrees C.
Well, what prefectural team win the championship ?
I just wait until I come back home.
And so I browsed Website for news flash after coming home.
To my surprize, a comeback victory has happened.
News flush said, " Kyoto regained the championship." and also
" Kyoto was honored with the
team's 14th title after a 2 year absence."
As for final ranking, Kyoto was followed by Okayama, Fukuoka, Chiba, Nagasaki
and so on.
Runners, you must be tired in the cold.
I was also tired because I updated my Website for the first time in a week.
[Note]The 29th All-Japan Inter-prefectural Women's Ekiden ； 第29回全国都道府県対抗女子駅伝
get away from 〜 ； 〜から遠ざかる，caption ； (記事などの)表題，見出し、ekiden relay race ； 駅伝
〜 hours before --；--の〜時間前に、 concerned about 〜 ； 〜を心配(憂慮、懸念)する
enter A through B ； B を通ってA に入る、 9-leg；9 区間
turn-around point；(マラソンの)折り返し地点、 sash ； (駅伝の)たすき
Kyoto International Conference Hall ； 京都国際会議場、 relaying point ； 中継地点
cheering group ； 応援団、 fly a flag ； 旗を掲げる、 signal gun ； 号砲
devote oneself to〜；〜に徹する、 race off to (toward) 〜 ； 〜へ駆け抜ける(走り去る)
chase；追いかける、 in the lead；先頭で、 トップを切って、 run as fast as one can ；力走する
at the top；首位で，トップで，１位で、 followed by 〜；(主語の)後に〜が続いて, その後に〜が続く
Kyoto Prefectural Police；京都府警，lead way；先導する、 police bike；白バイ
that's so cool！；格好いい〜！、this could go either way；[勝負などの結果が]どちらに転ぶかわからない
cann't help 〜ing；思わず〜せざるを得ない、 run past 〜 ； 〜を走り過ぎる
one after another ； 次から次へと、 underground mall ； 地下街
watch someone run off ； (人が)走り去るのを見送る、 takoyaki ； たこ焼き
have a dusting of snow ； 雪がちらつく、 so 〜 as to -- ； --するほど〜である
browse Website for 〜 ； 〜を求めてウェブサイトを閲覧する、 news flash ； ニュ−ス速報
regain 〜；〜を奪還する、be honored with 〜；〜の栄誉を受ける、 you must be tired；お疲れ様でした
Japanese Diary / No.336−2011.01.16 / 「皇后杯 第29回都道府県対抗女子駅伝」
Today, the annual Winter Team Golf Competition was held on the Kamakura
Public Golf
Course.
Seven people including me entered the competition from Yancha-kai Society.
The Shin-shin-peoria System was adopted as the competition rule as usual.
Up to eight players from each team are permitted to enter the competition.
The team ranking is determined with the total net score of the top 6 players.
The competition takes place for two days and our Yancha-kai Society team took part in it
on the first day.
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| All members of the Yancha-kai Society team on the Out #1 course |
We started playing around 7:54 a.m.
Though it was cold for a while after starting playing, the temperature
gradually increased and
it became so warm as to take off my windbreaker.
It was a beautiful sunny day without a cloud in the clear sky, and so
we could see Mt Fuji
from here in Kamakura.
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| The view of Mt Fuji from Kamakura Public Golf Course |
I expected the two-day golf practice before the competition might pay off.
However, nothing went right.
Especially, I was apt to lag the ball and so took 3 putts many times.
In the In course on the second half of the round，I could have got accustomed
to swing, and
so I took a par as often as five times a half round because my swing got
better and then I
could swing the clubhead through the ball.
After the competition，an awarding party was held.
13 teams entered the competition on the first day and my team finished
nineth.
All the members of our team got an emergency pack as a prize.
For your information，my score was as follows.
Gross=89 (Out=49, In=40), HDCP=12.8, Net=76.2
I couldn't contribute to our team but achieved a satisfactory level of
score for the first golf this year.
For additional informations，please visit the following website.
  Picture / Golf / 「2011冬季 鎌倉パブリックゴルフ場 団体対抗戦」
(You need to know the password to look at the picture.)
[Note] team competition ； 団体戦、Yancha-kai Society ； やんちゃ会
Shin-shin peoria System ； 新新ペリア方式、 up to 〜 ； 最大で〜まで
enter the competition；大会に参加する，so 〜 as to do --；--するほど〜だ
take off ； (衣類など)を脱ぐ、 the practice pay off ； 練習の成果が発揮できる
nothing goes right ； 何もかもうまくいかない、 take 3 putts ； 3 パットする
lag the ball ； (ゴルフ)ボ−ルを短めにパットする、 get accustomed to 〜 ； 〜に慣れてくる
swing through ； 振り切る、 an emergency pack ；非常持ち出し袋、 for your information ；ちなみに
Japanese Diary / No.335−2011.01.09 / 「初ゴルフ」
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Happy New Year ! |
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As the new year starts，I wish you
a happy, healthy, and prosperous
New Year.
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 TOPペ−ジへ戻る
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