TAKOYAKI MAX!

Apparently my parents love spending money on electronics. On weekends they often go shopping to appliance stores and never come back home without purchasing something new.And they decide what to buy surprisingly quickly - When they came back home with a new computer last weekend, I was just surprised because I never even knew that they had been looking for a new one before that. 
This time it was a new hotplate. A much bigger one than the former one. Of course I didn't know at all that they were going to buy it this time, either.When I went to the dining room it was just there. They told me very happily that they purchased it with their membercard's points that they stored when they bought the new PC , which means they didn't pay anything this time for this new hotplate. 


The new hotplate is great - it includes 3 changeable pans, and we can change them depending on what we cook. One of them is for takoyaki(For those who don't know takoyaki - It's a popular Japanese dumpling made of batter, diced or whole baby octopus, tempura scraps (tenkasu), topped with okonomiyaki sauce, mayonnaise, green laver (aonori), and katsuobushi (fish shavings), first popularized in Taisho-era Osaka). I love takoyaki very much because I am from Kansai area. It is said that people from my area all have at least one takoyaki pan in their kitchens.I used to have one but it had only 15 molds.But this new pan has 30 molds -   twice as many as the older one! We really enjoyed making & eating them. I ate over 15 takoyakis, which made me full!Okay I hope the picture below makes you hungry.:p

   
Anyway, if you have a chance to visit Osaka, please just try takoyaki! It's a damn good stuff I think - I bet you'll fall in love with it. And if you like it, don't forget to buy & bring a takoyaki pan back to your country.Takoyaki is the best food that we can be proud of in the world!!

The coolest wedding couple ever

Right, quick update, this is a link posted by my friend on FB. Please just watch this - it's hilarious!They're the coolest nerds ever!

And check this out as well(Click the picture below). There are 10 funny & unbelievable Stories about Facebook and they are all very interesting so I just wanted to share it with you. Enjoy!

Welcome Year 2010

新年明けましておめでとうございます!
(Shinnen Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu)
HAPPY NEW YEAR！新年快乐！Bonne année！Buon Anno! Поздравляю Вас с Новмы годом!Felice anno nuovo！Frohes Neues Jahr!


Finally the year 2010 has started.How are you spending your new year? I hope you all are enjoying your New Year's holidays.

Unfortunately,I celebrated the coming of new year so lazily in my bed, just watching from one TV show to another.Yes, to tell the truth,I stupidly let myself loose during the last week of 2009, which ended up bringing me on a high fever. And because of this, I had  been so sick that I had to stay in my bed for the last 2 days of year 2009. My fever has already gone down but I still have a bad sore throat.What a shame way of welcoming a new year!
Well, I know it's all my fault. But anyway, my year-end was awesome,except that I had to work all day on Christmas day(I gave 3 lectures to my students,which made me exhausted). I had an epic night with my international friends on Christmas eve, went bowling & Karaoke with them on 27th, joined a home party at my circle mate's house,went to USJ(Universal Studios Japan) in Osaka with my friends and played until night(it was such a freaking cold day!!View photos), had a reunion with my friends in my high school days & Drinking & karaoke night again. No wonder my lifestyle went bad, but I'm so happy as long as I could have a really good time with my friends. How did you spend your last days of 2009 and celebrate the coming of new year?


By the way, we have a saying in Japan,"New Year's Day is the day to make one year's plan," and so we make a plan for the year. So here I'd like to share a little of what I've made up my mind to do during this year.


Pooka0712's Manifest 2010


1. I'll change my lifestyle into the morning style.
   - So I can efficiently get ahead with my work.


2. I will keep reading a newspaper.
   - To keep up with the times.This is also what I have done so far,though. But this year, it includes reading the English version as well - The Japan Times Online makes it possible. I've started subscribing it!


3. I'll challenge some new certifying exams.
  - for my career.


4. Diet! =p
 - Everyday's continuous exercise. My friends kindly say I'm silly thinking about going on a diet, but I just really need it!!Especially my lower body.If you see it, you'll see why.lol


5. and English.
 - However busy I'll be, I'll make it a rule to spend at least 1 hour studying or using English.Not only mastering the daily conversation level's English, I'll try to learn business English as well this year.As a more concrete goal,I'd like to get over 950 points on the TOEIC test.And of course, I'll keep blogging as often as possible, too! :-) 


Like I told you above, my condition at the beginning of new year wasn't so good. But please let me declare here, that I'll try my best to realize these things. I'm sure that this year will be an ordeal one to me in many ways.But whatever happens,I'd like to stay positive and confident at any time.
May you succeed in all your endeavors, and may this year 2010 be the best and the happiest one to you all!!