Volunteer tour

(This entry is a rewrite of the previous entry.)

The massive earthquake and tsunami devastated Tohoku area in Japan on March 11th,

Now many people in Tohoku still need for many volunteers whether they are experienced or not.

So, my wife and I decided to go to Tohoku as volunteers.

In September,

I participated a two day volunteer tour to Higashi-matsushima, Miyagi Prefecture.

My wife went to animal relief center in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture for about ten days to take care of affected pets.

Last week,

My wife and I participated a two day volunteer tour to Minami-sanriku , Miyagi Prefecture.

In spite of eight months after the tsunami, 

We saw many collapsed buildings, houses and the overturned cars,ships.

We were very shocked unspeakably.

By the way, 

There is one question.

What is a volunteer tour ?

Usually, at first volunteers go to the Volunteer center in disaster area by themselves to find jobs.

But it is not sure whether there are job or not.

Of course they should prepare their own meals and logging.

However, in some volunteer tour, 

Volunteers have a job as soon as they arrive at the disaster area. 

and some meals and logging are prepared.

It is very convenient.

So It is easy for beginners to participate volunteer.

Anyway,

Don't think difficultly about volunteer.

Advanced skills and special skills are not necessary.

There are a lot of job anybody can do.

A large number of people need for human power.

For example, 

look at this picture of the railway covered with a lot of grasses, destroyed by the Tsunami.

I think it takes many many many times to remove all grasses.

But about 100 volunteers started to cut grasses.

After two hours,

This is the human power.

There are many such jobs anybody can do.

If you are hesitant to do something for Tohoku because of lack of experience, lack of skill,

I recommended you to participate a volunteer tour.

Volunteer works for Miyagi, a place devastated by the tsunami

Last weekend,

I participated in a two-day volunteer tour.

I went to Higashi-matsushima city, Miyagi Prefecture.

That town was devastated by a tsunami on March 11th.

In spite of six months after the tsunami, 

I saw many collapsed houses and the overturned cars.

My heart was shocked unspeakably.

We cut the grass around the desolate railway destroyed by the tsunami.

Even though I was very tired because of the lack of daily exercise,

My heart burned for a sense of mission to reconstruction of the Northeast Japan.

Before starting work

After work

After this, we are planning to plant rapeseed on this line.

We are calling it "Operation Rapeseed"

Through working with experienced volunteers, and hearing old man's experience of tsunami,I had a valuable experience.

If you are hesitant to do something for the Northeast Japan because of lack of experience, 

I recommended you to participate a volunteer tour.

Japanese famous noodle Sanuki Udon

Last week, 
I went to Marugame, Kagawa Prefecture, Shikoku, Japan.


Speaking with Kagawa, 
"Sanuki udon" is very famous.

"Udon" is a kind of Japanese noodle.

But I do not know Noodle shops.
So I commented at Twitter and Facebook

" I will go to Marugame today. Please tell me Sanuki udon shop that you recommend."



Then, my friends commented various information of Sanuki udon.
Thank you my friends!


After a lot of thinking,
I decided "Nakamura Udon"

HP

http://www.nakamura-udon.jp/


Although it was still 10:30 am, 
about 10 people is waiting.

After about 10 minutes ago,
My turn was coming.

This is the Sanuki Udon !

Oh! Very delicious!
Wonderful Dashi soup.



If you come to Kagawa Prefecture, 
you should eat Sanuki udon.

Rock festival Summer Sonic in Osaka

I am 41 years old.
My wife is 37 years old.
Despite we are middle-aged couple,
I went to the outdoor rock festival called Summer Sonic in Osaka on Aug 13th, 14th.

During the extreme heat, hit the whip on old body, we tried. 



The band I watched is below.

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS 
THE STROKES 
BEADY EYE 
KORN 
P.I.L. 
ZEBRAHEAD 
THE TING TINGS 
Etc. 

These are very awesome bands!


LINE UP is here.
http://www.summersonic.com/2011/lineup/osaka.html

In two days,
We were very excited!
and we were very tired.

However,
a lot of dancing, singing, ranting, screaming,
We blow off the stress of a year's accumulation.
Our minds were overhaul, clean up, refreshed.

And we are back to reality. 
Reality is often painful.
 
But rock'n roll gives us the courage to live, the hope to live.

Thanks, rock'n roll! 

Thanks, Summer Sonic! 


See you next year !

My original application for iPhone released!

This is the first application I have made in my life.

This application's name is "Mind Reading"

This application can read the number which is in your mind.

Download Page is here. Please click!

(This application is free.)

USA Store

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mind-reading/id453928036?l=ja&ls=1&mt=8

Japanese Store

http://itunes.apple.com/jp/app/mind-reading/id453928036?mt=8

I made the promotion video of this application.

The sales report.

First day is only 4 downloads.

But Second day is 94 downloads from 25 countries.

[ Top 10 ]

United States, Japan, Britain, India, China, Canada, Australia, Philippines, Italy, Netherlands

[ Top 10 later ]

South Korea, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar,Sweden, Egypt, Malaysia, Germany, Pakistan, Denmark, Romania,Hong Kong, Brazil, Taiwan, Mexico

I was very surprised.

And I felt something strange.

My application is downloaded all over the world.

From room of a normal apartment in rural Japan,

I am connecting to the global market.

The world is flat!

There are nearly 200 million people using iTunes.

That is the power of the long tail !

6th August in Hiroshima

Today is very special day for Hiroshima.

We remember the great human tragedy that occurred in this beautiful city on that fateful day in 1945.

Today I went to see the Peace memorial ceremony.

I paid one minute's silent tribute to Atomic Bomb Victims. 

I prayed

No more Hiroshima,

No more Nagasaki,

and

No more Fukushima.

I hope that People all over the world can live peacefully.

Atomic Bomb dorm. 

Let's KY !

I hate the word KY.

"KY" is  for short "Kuuki wo Yomenai hito" in Japanese.

"Kuuki wo Yomenai hito"  means "Person who can't read the atmosphere"

This word is expressed a negative trait of the Japanese very well.

At school, work, home, family, community,

We may feel invisible pressure to "Read the atmosphere".

The pressure of "Reading the atmosphere"  is very scary.

Many Japanese people do not allow KY.

KY is bullied, depressed, and in the the worst case, choose death.

One of the most important skills to survive in Japanese society is reading the atmosphere. 

Doing the same thing, same hobby, watching the same TV show.

For example,

Japanese Recruitment Suit. 

In the job search, companies do not request students to wear a recruitment suit.

But students read the atmosphere. 

and they choose to wear the recruitment suit voluntarily.

I was always frightened whenever I watch the news of the initiation ceremony.

Because all new recruits wear the same suits.

Is this my country?

Is this Cultural Revolution in China?

Is this North Korea?

No, This is our country.

However, let's think deeply.

People who changed the world, 

People who are successful,

I strongly believe that they are KY.

Edison ,Einstein, Bill Gates, John Lennon, Lady GAGA, etc, etc.

Let's think about the first person who ate sea cucumber.

I strongly believe he is a KY.

Thanks KY!

We can eat a sea cucumber.

Life is very short.

But we spend a lot of time thinking about other people.

We don't have free time to think about other people.

Steve Jobs, Apple's founder said

Your time is limited, 

so don't waste it living someone else's life.

Don't be trapped by dogma 

- which is living with the results of other people's thinking.

Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice.

And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.

They somehow already know what you truly want to become.

Everything else is secondary.

And, LADY GAGA is sing in "Born this way"

 I'm on the right track
 I was born to be brave
 I was born this way

Don't deny KY. 

Let's create a diverse and interesting society together.

That way, the world will be more fun.

the world should improve more.

Well, Let's KY!

Our birthday

Many people celebrated our birthday on twitter and facebook. 

Everyone, thank you.

At 9th of July, I became 41 years old.

And my wife's birthday was 10th of July.

What a coincidence !

We are an economical couple because our birthday parties are held at one time.

So, this year, we enjoyed dinner at an Italian restaurant. 

"il Gabbiano" in Naka-ku, Hiroshima city

★ Main Dish 

Lemon and capers sauteed snapper sources 

Beef in red wine

And, a special birthday dessert.

Well, I hope to have a such dinner once in a while.

At the age 41, 

Maybe I have passed halfway in my life.

So I will do anything without regret.

This year,

I hope to find something to devote the rest of my life to !
 

 

GAGA

In spite of being a 41 years old man, 

Recently I got hooked on Lady Gaga.

In spite of being a 41 years old man, 

I bought a SAVE JAPAN T-shirt designed by Gaga at UNIQLO the most popular clothing shop in Japan. 

I am not cool in spite of wearing this awesome T-shirt.  lol

I expressed a heart mark in this picture.

I sent this picture to Gaga on Facebook. 

I wish for a response from Gaga.

By the way,

Up until now I didn't like music like hers. 

But recently I like her music. 

Because I feel the rock'n roll spirit from her.

While Rock'n roll is getting older and becoming more conservative,

Gaga has a strong rock'n roll spirit in spite of being a pop star because of her attitude towards society and the world.

She is not only on the side of the minority but is also a person who believes in love and peace. 

Songs that title include "AMERICA" or "USA"（from my iTunes Library)

In U.S.A, 

today is Independence day.

So, Today I listen to the songs that title include "AMERICA" or "USA" (from my iTunes Library) 

These song list is below.

Voice Of America / Asia

Magic America / Blur

Born In The U.S.A. / Bruce Springsteen

American Dream / CRAZY KEN BAND

Young Americans / David Bowie

American Idiot / Green Day

Living In America / James Brown

R.O.C.K. In the U.S.A. (A Salute to 60's Rock) / John Mellencamp

Kids In America / Kim Wilde

American Woman / Lenny Kravitz

American Pie / Madonna

America / Nas

(You Can Still) Rock In America / Night Ranger

America the Beautiful / Ray Charles with Alicia Keys

America / Razorlight

America / RPA & The United Nations of Sound

America / Simon & Garfunkel

Thank You For Talkin' To Me America / Sly & The Family Stone

Geek USA / Smashing Pumpkins

Jesus Children Of America / Stevie Wonder

The Hands That Built America (Theme From 'Gangs Of New York') / U2

Elvis Presley And America / U2

Surf Wax America / Weezer

Americano / Lady GaGa

That's all.