Ah, it's up! September's theme for the Japan Blog Matsuri! So exciting!

http://www.nippon-ichigo.net/japan-blog-matsuri-september-2010/

It's all about music. I've been eating up Japanese music since I was a teen, and I'd love to see what people come up with to say as a result of this theme. So much interesting stuff comes up in the Matsuri! And we can always see, hear, and learn more.

I hope it's not too general. I tend to fret about this kind of thing a lot, actually, so I hope I'm doing this right, and that it turns out well, too.

It's up! -> http://japansoc.com/nature-and-outdoors/nature-and-japan/

This is a page to compile all feedback from all over the web for this month's matsuri - will update and edit as they come :)

Would appreciate feedback about how the matsuri was run, the content, what could be done to improve it - etc.

Today, I am 43yrs old but I still feel as if I am only 18-21. The years keeps me on the tip of my toes but I know and accept that aging is part of the human existence so I will only accept it as a deficiency. Maybe, I can live to an age when science will produce the link to stop the aging process, like curing a rare disease. Hey, hey, don't laugh! Fantasy can become reality...
Well, only a wish on my birthday... Uhmmmm, not a bad wish after all. Just
imagine!
Anyway, on to the point of this journal. So, it is my birthday I woke up to find one of nature's special gift to me on this day... My favorite flower, which produces it's madly captivating perfume is in bloom. A radiant color of red, fresh roses in bloom. How special? And perfect timing... A happy note to mentally record in one's life. I am appreciating me,my rose and I ;-)

Funny urban dictionary explanation for "Tune in Tokyo". Hey, it's new to me!

Simple, I seem to recall a photo up load apps on this site....
Was it my imagination?

I've had this experience - I understood my Scottish-born French teacher quite easily, as I was raised in a household full of Scottish people, but struggled to understand the authentic accent of my teacher from Marseille.

Here's the report - http://www.israel21c.org/201003077751/culture/putting-the-accent-on-language-perception

I wonder, is there a different effect with Japanese language learners because Japanese has a simple sound system compared to European and Asian languaes?

No TV story!
Several years ago, when our children were much younger we had a TV in our space. We also had sky perfect TV connections, so we had access to English Channels, which was an advantage for me and our children at the time. This all came to an end when the "husband" decided that our kids watched too much TV. Like a obedient spouse I quickly agreed,not realizing that it would be a
disadvantage to me and the children...
Honestly, now reflecting on the event I could call myself a "blind fool" to agree
with the"husband".

Allow me to explain...

Well, soon after agreeing on the idea that our children watched too much TV he
threaten to stop Sky Perfect.... So, no service...
O.k, so the TV went out of the room; next thing it was given to a relative. Oh yea! So, one would think that's was the end of watching TV, right? Hell no! Across the hallway for many years now, our child watched TV. But, this time it was always in the company of the grandparents, so it was always o.k.! Recently,
there is a huge high tech wide screen TV. That's where our children spends
most of their time... Now, I don't complaint because I ironically accepted that it is the source for being brainwash in to the culture and of course being that 99% of the programs are Japanese the children now speaks at ease... And lacks in English skills. Mom is now the outsider/the typical foreigner. I accept my role ;-)
Yes, not with me but with the TV.. And guess what I don' t hear any complaints about the hours they now watch Japanese TV...

Only, recently I realized that because the children watched English programs on
our TV someone must have felt threaten to their access of knowledge. One could ask the question of "how piety", well there are some people in this culture who
are, they think and lives in a world of piety philosophy . You wouldn't guess this on first time arrival to the country but...!
My point of posting this experience is just to reflect and to remind myself there is
always some underlining the JP actions. Sometimes, at first a reason may not be
apparent but move with caution, accept whatever it is with caution and don't let your guard down...

Ah...a new Japansoc layout...I have been away for a while...Who's hosting the August blog matsuri?

I'll probably release Hotaru 1.4 soon so I've upgraded JapanSoc to it for a trial run. Most of the changes are deep in the murky depths of Hotaru's core and don't affect the front-end of the site. Nevertheless, let me know if you find anything broken and I'll endeavor to fix it.

Actually, while you're here, I'm not convinced the current home page is all that good and am considering reverting to the old format of listing top stories with summaries on the front page. What do you think? Does the current front page improve navigation and content discovery or hinder it?

A foreigner living with in-laws in Japan.
It's that time of the year again, my kids are on the summer camping plan with the in-laws again. Yes! I should be happy,estastic, so why aren't I?
Well, if you are a foreigner living in Japan with your in-laws for more than seven years at this point you must have gained great insights on " the family subconscious" control in Japan. Now, I know why the younger generation of married Japanese women refuse to live with the in-laws. I have no sympathy those in-laws....