Live Long and Prosper —長寿と繁栄を－

My six year old son loves money. 

I wanted to teach him about the purpose of money, how to use it, and how some coins can be gathered together and exchanged for a single coin, which has the same value.  So a year ago or so I gave him some 1 Yen, 5 Yen, and 10 Yen coins.  I sometimes give him a little extra money as a present, especially if he has been very helpful around the house. 

He doesn’t like to spend his money.  He just gathers it all together in a pile and counts it, like Scrooge. 

My son once saw a 5 Yen coin lying on the ground, and was delighted.  Now, when we go out for a doughnut or lunch somewhere, he scans the pavement, searching for more dropped money. 

Last weekend, my wife took my son to Jindaiji temple.  There is a shrine dedicated to Enmei Kannon-sama.  This deity helps to grant longevity.  If you let the smoke waft over you, it is supposed to extend your life. 

Because I was working that day, I didn’t join them in the temple.  But my wife explained the benefits of the smoke to our son. 

“But what about Daddy?” he said.  “Mummy will live longer, and I will live longer, but not Daddy.” 

“Yes, you’re right,” said my wife.  “That’s too bad for Daddy.” 

My son quickly responded, “What will happen to Daddy’s money when he dies?”

Vocabulary:

a deity – a god or goddess, in a religion which has many gods and goddesses

longevity – long life

to waft – to pass gently through the air, often of a smell or sound

Why British people don’t dance in the moonlight —どうしてイギリス人は月の光の下で踊らないのかー

I have been listening to a series of lectures called, “The History of World Literature” recently.  It has been very interesting.  In the lectures, I came across this ancient Chinese poem.

 

Drinking Alone Under the Moon

By Li Bai (761 to 762 AD)

This translation by  Joan Derbyshire

 

Among the flowers with wine beneath the sky

Alone I drink – no friend or kin, just me.

I raise my cup to toast the moon on high.

That’s two of us; my shadow makes it three.

 

Alas, the poor moon knows not wine’s delight.

My shadow follows like a living thing.

At last with moon and shadow I unite

In joyful bond, to seize the last of spring.

 

I sing: it sets the moon to rock in time.

I dance: my shadow cannot hold its place.

Sober, we share companionship sublime;

Drunk at last, we drift apart in space –

 

Lost to worldly things, until some day

We’ll meet again, beyond the Milky Way. 

* 

This poem reminds me of an argument I once had with my Australian flatmate at the time, Adam.  We were coming back home after a night out, and we were both a little drunk.  Adam stripped off his shirt in the cold night air, enjoying the moonlight on his skin. 

“Take your shirt off! He commanded enthusiastically. 

“No, I don’t want to.  We’ll annoy the neighbors.” 

“Don’t be so British,” he said.  “Be like a pagan and dance under the moonlight!” 

“Adam, I have work in the morning,” I said. 

Adam then stalked off to dance in the moonlight without me.  Sometimes I wish I had a more romantic soul.

Vocabulary:

one’s kin – a slightly old-fashioned word, meaning one’s family and extended relations (eg. “Many of my kin still live in Scotland.”)

to toast someone – to raise a glass, usually containing an alcoholic drink, to show respect to someone (eg. “The bride and groom were toasted at the wedding reception.”)

to be sublime – of very great excellence or beauty (eg. “Bach’s music is sublime.”)

a pagan – a person who follows a pre-Christian religion, or a religion that is not one of the major world religions (eg. “Some pagans worship the sun or the moon.”)

 

The King of Sandwiches —サンドイッチの王様—

Since I first heard about the Elvis sandwich, which contains banana, peanut butter, and fried bacon, it has been always on my mind.  It ought to be tasty, since 50 million Elvis sandwich fans can’t be wrong!  Or maybe it is a devil sandwich in disguise?

Okay, no more Elvis puns, I promise.  We need a little less conversation and a little more action.

I didn’t expect to like the sandwich, because I am not a huge fan of banana.  But the sandwich worked surprisingly well.  The soft banana, crunchy peanuts and crispy bacon made for an interesting mix of textures.  And I thought the peanut butter might dominate over all other flavours, but I could still taste the bacon.  I give this sandwich 8 out of 10.

Vocabulary:

a pun – A joke which plays on the fact that one word or phrase sounds like another, or has two meanings (eg. “My cat is just purrr-fect!”)

(a) texture – the feel or consistency of a surface (eg. “This wood has a rough texture.”)

Karamazov —カラマーゾフ－

I used much of my free time over the New Year’s holidays to finish reading Dostoevsky’s novel, “The Brothers Karamazov.”  It was very long, but very interesting.

Here are a couple of passages I found particularly interesting.

1:

The man who lies to himself can be more easily offended than anyone else.  You know it is sometimes very pleasant to take offence, isn’t it?  A man may know that nobody has insulted him, but that he has invented the insult for himself, has lied and exaggerated to make it picturesque, has caught at a word and made a mountain out of a molehill.  He knows that himself, yet he will be the first to take offence, and will revel in his resentment till he feels great pleasure in it.

*

I didn’t realise that Twitter existed in 19th century Russia.  At least, Dostoevsky seems to have understood the psychology of many Twitter users very well!

2:

It’s God that’s worrying me.  That’s the only thing that’s worrying me.  What if He doesn’t exist?  What if Rakitin’s right – that it’s an idea made up by men?  Then if he doesn’t exist, man is the king of the Earth, of the universe.  Magnificent!  Only how is he going to be good without God?  That is the question.  I always come back to that.  Who is man going to love then?  To whom will he be thankful?  To whom will he sing the hymn?  Rakitin laughs.  Rakitin says that one can love humanity instead of God.  Well, only an idiot can maintain that.  I can’t understand it.  Life’s easy for Rakitin.  “You’d better think about the extension of civic rights, or of keeping down the price of meat.  You will show your love for humanity more simply and directly by that than by philosophy.”

I answered him: “Well but you, without a God, are more likely to raise the price of meat if it suits you, and make a rouble on every penny.”  He lost his temper.

*

Somehow this passage made me think of political parties claiming to be communists, and to love humanity more than any other group.  Then they install themselves as an elite at the top of the country, “making a rouble out of every penny,” or finding a nice profit for themselves.

Vocabulary:

to be offended – to be annoyed, usually because one feels they have been insulted (eg. “I think he was offended when I criticised his country.”)

picturesque – visually attractive in a charming way (eg. “Shirakawago is a picturesque village.”)

to make a mountain out of a molehill – to make something seem much bigger than it really is (eg. “I didn’t say you were fat, I just suggested that you eat fewer snacks.  Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill.”)

to revel in something – to take great and lively enjoyment in something (eg. “After winning the match, the football team revelled in their victory.”)

a hymn – a religious song of praise to God (eg. “People sing hymns in church.”)