To do list :)

I did Christmas shopping.
I haven't done packing yet.
I did clean up my apartment.
(Wash OTHERS' dishes lol vacuum the hallway and the living room, wipe the counter, tables and oven, clean up the sink, and swipe kitchen floor. Phew~~~)
I read book of mormon 2nd Nephi chapter 32. (it is homework for preparing the lesson with missionaries)

The difficult thing is using food!!!!
I bake bagels every week, but I still have a lot of flour!!!!!
I'll bake a brownnie and banana bread.
Hmmmm, wait and see.
Rice noodle also I have many.
Anyways, so I need to use a lot of my stuff.
But I want to eat something else ~~~~~.
But I should not purchase new stuff!!!
That's the problem. lol

To Do List : finish up most of food!!!!
Yeah, this is the most tough one!!!

Wait....

I realize that I got many comments for my blog....
I notice it TODAY!!!!!
I'm so sorry!!!! Gash!!!
I don't know why I hadn't realized it before!!!!
That's why I never reply any comments.
All comments are so so sweet!!!

Yes!!! I wanna go shopping with you!!!!
Yes!!! I wanna do homework party with you!!! (I don't have homework anymore, but I'm reading some books :) )
Yes!!! Thanks giving was rally great time with you and with your family!!!
Yes!!! I love you too!!!

Awwwwww, this is today's (actually whole year's) Awwww story..... :(
Please For Give Me (><)

Chiristmas is coming :)

I like Christmas!!
But this year, it is not as happy as usual...
Cuz two weeks after Christmas, I have to go back to Japan....
I wish Christmas coming very very slowly in this year!!!

Anyways, I start looking for Christmas presents!!!
It is so FUN!!!
Now, I almost complete purchasing presents for my roommates :)
I wrap them, and put them under the tree.
I put one present per day :D Just for fun!! I'm feeding tree. hahaha
Every morning, little by little, presents appear :)
It's like a Christmas Calender!!!
I hope my roommates enjoy it ;)
(Only one problem is that I don't have enough presents for everyday, but hmmm it's doesn't matter right?? ;) )

I haven't started preparing for my friends, but I will :)
I need to go shopping and get some ideas.

Thinking about presents is the most fun part for me.
I like U.S. style.
We can get a lot of presents!!!
In Japan, we only get one present (usually). it's not bad, but many presents are always FUN!!!

Last year, I didn't know about U.S. style Christmas, but now I know!!!
So, I can prepare Christmas better than last year!!!

Christmas is always FUN both in Japan and in the U.S.
But, I prefer the U.S. version :)

Awwwww (--)

Tomorrow is the last day of the school!!!!
Because of this, ALL 4 of my classes have a party......

Okay, it's good. But we need to bring something eat.
Okay, it's not so bad.
So, I bought 2 snacks and baked cookies and brownies.
Ready to party for 4 classes is not easy.....

Anyways, while I baked cookies, I burn my finger....
and it's so hurt...... Awwwwww (>Δ<。。)

Okay, this is today's my "Awwww" story.

Well, I will start today's my baking story now.

I don't have daily products.
So, I baked vegan cookies and brownies today.
Cookies are not bad, but I think I should put some flavor, like vanilla.
Brownies are also not bad, but it's taste really vegan......
I don't know if my classmates like them or not..... I hope they can eat them.

For me, Vegan brownies are taste good.
Not too sweet and not too chewy.

The process is interesting!!!
First, I need to stir water and flower!!!!
WOW!!!!

Since I'm being a vegan, I need to find a lot of new recipes, especially when I bake.
Every time I look up recipes, I find new ideas!!!!
It is really fun!!!

Anyways, this is my story of the night that day before the last classes.

Ah, it's really sad to leave the school..... say good-bye to classmates and friends and teachers.
I'm really glad I came here, I have a lot of awesome friends.
I'm glad I choose here instead of Canada.
(I planned to go to Canada at first, but for some reasons, I chose to go to the U.S. )
I'm glad I live my apartment with great roommates and super great awesome and cool friends!!

This is why, so hard to leave here :'(

November 29, 2010 is Monday :)

Honestly, I sometimes feel I am creepy or insane.
(Don't worry, just sometimes, not always.)

Okay, it is kinda long story.
I wrote different kinds of essays. 3 or 4 per semester.
While I wrote an essay, I was researching a lot of articles. (Actually, too much research sometimes)
I learned a lot of stuff.
I chose kinda strange topics for my paper. (They are good topic, but it's not fits for ESL student. lol)
Most of the time, I needed to read about medical articles, or articles have a lot of medical information.
Yes, actually I read and saw too much of them.

I often read those articles while I ate dinner. (Sometimes, lunch)
Yes. I can eat dinner, while I read medical articles, or watching medical programs.....

Before, I could not do that!!! Seriously!!
But now, I can eat meals while I watching anatomical lecture.....

I feel it's not good.
Normally (at least I think) people do not do that, and I feel it's not good behavior.....
This is why I sometimes feel I'm a creepy person.....

But, sometimes it's convenient.
Because I can save time when I do not have enough time to read or watch those kind of stuff.
But..... I still feel it's not good.

Anyways, I should not do this when I am with friends or family or somebody.
I should be careful about it.

If you read this, it is my secret!!!
Don't tell anybody that I'm a creepy person!!! OK!!?? :)

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

I love Thanksgiving Break.
It is almost whole week!!
I can sleep in and be lazy and eat tasty food!!!!

I ate a lot of delicious food.
My friend invited me a dinner with her family.
Last year, I missed every tradition of Thanksgiving.
I really happy to had a traditional dinner in this year.
I ate a lot!!! Ah~~~~ great meal and great time~~~~.

After Thanksgiving, we have Christmas!!!!
I'm excited!!!
I think about Christmas present.
It is hard to think, but fun :)
Hmmmmm......

Maybe, chocolate??
DVDs??
Clothes??
or Something Japanese??? (no, it's way hard to find in here)

Hmmmmm, I think I need to go to some stores and think about it!!!
Maybe after this semester.
I have a lot of free time :)

Christmas is always fun.

Birthday party!!

Last night, I had a dinner with my friends.
I love my friend so much, so I want to do something for them on my birthday.
So, I was planning to had a dinner with them!!!
It was really really great night!!!

I cooked a lot of stuff!!
Chirashi Sushi
Agedashi Tofu
Vegetable Wrap
Cheese Cake
Banana Bread
Fruit salad
Potato Salad ( I forgot to serve this anyway)

It took long time and made me tired!!! lol
But I was so happy to did it.

My friends enjoyed my meal, even though the menu was all for vegan.
I baked cheese cake for my friends.
I didn't try them, so I was kind of nervous to serve.
But they enjoyed.

Last night, there are two English speaker and one Spanish speaker (but he can speak English very well). So, I sometimes couldn't understand them.
But I feel my English is getting better, improve a lot.

Now, I think I need to work hard on my writing.
My writing is horrible!!!!
I also need to improve my vocabulary.

Both are not easy to improve.....
It takes long time and improve very very slowly.

I hope my writing skill get better soon!!!

I wanna go to sea

I want to go to sea.
Really.

I like snorkeling.
I went to sea to do snorkeling with my sister 2 years ago.
It was amazing!!!!
I love it!!!

But, since I came to the U.S. I did not do snorkeling, even swim!!!!

One of reason that I did not swim is I do not have a swim suit.
I hope I would buy a swim suit this summer and go to swimming.
Kind of consider to buy or not.
Because I probably back to Japan pretty soon. Unfortunately.

Anyway, I want to go to sea.

Why am I became a vegan?

2years before now, I read a book "Skinny Bitch"
The book has some information of meat and dairy products. I was little bit care about it but still eat meat and dairy.
I ate Beef, Pork, Chicken, Sheep, Horse, and I think I have eaten Deer.
I also ate (or drank) Milk, cheese, sour cream, egg, yogurt, and many kinds of dairy products.

Since I live in the U.S. I realized that I did not eat meat and dairy products so much.
I eat vegetable a lot. Sometimes little meat.(Like only one slice of bacon.)
And also I rarely purchased fish. Because in Utah, fish is too expensive and not good.(I'm sorry to say that, but my home town is near by the sea. So I know great fresh taste)
Anyways, I thought I might not need meat and dairy products.

At that time, I found a movie called "Earth Rings"
The movie is really hard to watch. Actually I could not finish watching.
So, I decided to be a vegan.

Animals born for only die. It does not make any sense.
Cows always pregnant for give us milk. After she gives birth, their baby can not stay with her. It also does not make any sense.

I cannot say "delicious" when I eat meat and dairy.
That's why I'm being a vegan.
It's my decision.
I'm not try to persuade anybody because everybody have different opinion.
But I want to say that please know about where and how your meat and dairy came from.

仕事初日

今日は、バイト初日!!
なんだか不安だったけど、
なんとか乗り切りました。
4時間だけだったけど、久しぶりの立ち仕事はなかなか疲れました。
これから、シフト増やして、教科書代くらいは稼がねば!!
とおもいつつ、
お客さんと話すのが、恐いです。。。
なんか、変なこと言いそうで。そして間違って聞きそうで。。。。

色んな所で働くんですが、
レギュラーのバイトさんがシフト出れなくなった時に
電話をくれて、私が都合がよければ働くって感じのバイトなんです。
だから、レジとかあるような所のシフトとか、電話が来るので、
毎回断ってるんですが。。。。
自分で空きを探してシフト入れる事もできるので、
明日オフィスに行って、空きを探してこようと思います。

シフト入れれば断り易いし。
しょぼい理由で断るのが心苦しいです。。。。。

そんな訳で、明日はシフト探しに頑張ります。
明日も良い時間帯にシフトあったら働こう。。。。

First day of my work

I was working today.
It's my first day to work.

I am little tired but I feel good.
Before I got the job, I usually stayed at home and sat on the chair, then studied or read articles through the internet.......
But now, I can go to work.

I actually super scary to talk with customers......
Because I can't speak well.
I may talk wrong.....
I hope I don't talk wrong way.....

Keep trying...... and Hard work

巻き寿司

今日は、友達に巻き寿司の作り方を教えてと言われたので、教えに行きました。
という訳で、必然的に今日の晩ご飯は巻き寿司です。

巻き寿司の具は、もちろん日本の普通のとは違います。
アボカド、かにかま、クリームチーズ、スモークサーモン、キュウリ、鶏の照り焼き。
これらを、自分の好きな組み合わせで巻いて行きました。

今日は2人の友達に教えたのですが、2人とも巻き寿司を作るのは初めてと言う事でしたが、
始めに、デモンストレーションをして、コツなど説明すると、
スルスル〜〜〜と、
上手に巻いていました。

それにしても上手にできて良かったです。
難しいと感じてしまったら、
巻き寿司作るの、楽しく無い〜〜〜。と思われちゃって、悲しいですからね。
「簡単だし、楽しい」
って言ってもらえて本当に良かったです。

そんなわけで、今日は久々に文化交流的な夜となりました。
（余った材料を捨てるって言い出したときには、改めてカルチャーショックを受けましたが（笑）アメリカの人って、残り物を次の日に食べるとかあんまししないですものね。知ってたはずなのに、忘れてました。慌てて、持って帰ります!!と言って、持ってかえりました。）

Roll Sushi

I made roll Sushi tonight with my friends.

We needed to buy many things, like bamboo mat and other ingredients.
Almost one hour after when we finished shopping.

Then, we started to make Roll Sushi!!
First, we prepared Sushi rice.
During its cooked, we prepared other ingredients.
After that, we started to rolled Sushi.

I showed them how to roll Sushi first, then they tried.
They were really good at roll Sushi!!!
I actually worried about it because some people cannot roll Sushi well.
So if they couldn't roll well, they might felt not fun.
But they were really great!!!

I enjoyed making sushi with them.

We of course enjoyed Roll Sushi too!!

お好み焼きに挑戦!!!

ちょっと、思いついて
お好み焼き、作ってみました!!!
今までは、お好みソース無いし、お好み焼きの粉も高いしで作ってなかったんですけど、
今日は思い立って（そして、冷凍してるひき肉もそろそろ食べねば）作ってみました。

材料は、
『生地』
強力粉
だしの素（顆粒）
ベーキングパウダー
水

『具材』
キャベツ
人参
タマネギ
ピーマン
ひき肉
スパゲティ（焼きそば麺の代わりに）

『タレ』
醤油
味噌（今回はダシ入り）
蜂蜜
ケチャップ
だしの素（顆粒）
水（ちょっとだけ）

で、まぁ、お好み焼きは普通に作って、（材料はすべて目分量です）
タレは全部小さなお鍋に入れて煮詰めるだけ。

お味はというと、タレに味噌入れすぎた〜〜〜。
ではありましたが、まぁまぁ、いい感じにできました(^^)

もうちょっと改良して、上手にできたら
冷凍しておいて、お弁当に持って行こうかしら？
なんて、考え中です。

I have made Okonomiyaki!!!!

I made "Okonomi Yaki" ( Japanese style pancake) for dinner.

I like Okonomi yaki. I planned to make Okonomi Yaki before but I didn't find source for Okonomi Yaki.

Today, I flashed, I might make the source by myself.
I put soy source, honey, tomato ketchup, miso, and powder soup stock in a small pan.
Then boiled it until it sticky.
After that, I tried.

"Hmmmmm, it's funky, but it's not really bad"
So, I prepared Okonomi Yaki and enjoyed it!!

今日のおやつ

アパートの隣に、メキシカンマーケットがある。
野菜や果物が、すごく安い。
そんなわけで、買い物のほとんどはここで済ますわけです。

メキシカンマーケットということで、店内の音楽はもちろんメキシカンミュージック。
何のパーティ!?ってくらいに、ノリノリな音楽なのです。
置いてある商品も、他のスーパーではあまり見かけないものがあります。
例えば、でっかいサボテン（？）茎（なのか？）が平たくてでっかいのありますよね？あれが売ってあります。
もちろん食用。皮を剥いて調理して食べるんだとか。
アロエみたいな感じなのかな？
で、まぁメキシコのパンとかおかしとかも陳列されているのです。

そんなわけで、今日も野菜と果物を買うべくお買い物に行ったのですが、
陳列されてるデザートがどうしても美味しそうで、食べたくなったのです。
が、しかし、

躊躇もありました。
なぜなら、以前買ったメキシコのデザート、
「ライスプディング」
これがどうしても口に合わなかったのです。
いや、でも今回目に止まったのは、見た目プリンっぽいし。
大丈夫だろうと、思い切って買ってみました。

いかにもメキシコ!!って感じのフタ。
見た目、普通のプリン。
フタが、めちゃ開けにくい（笑）
上にかかってるの、「粉だなぁ」とは気づいていましたが、シナモンパウダーでした。
日本のプリンみたいに「カラメル」なんてこじゃれたものは無く、
ただただ、ひたすら、プリン。
そんなに甘くはないですが、私には量が多く、でも残すほどではなく、
なんだか最後の方は食べる作業を行っているという感じになってしまいました。

日本のプリンとは味も食感も違いました。
食感は、トロ〜っとしたゼリーみたいな（でもプルプル感はないです）
味は、バニラエッセンスが欲しい!!みたいな感じ。
そして甘く無く。でも口に入れると溶ける!!!（何で!?やっぱ砂糖!?）

とかいいながら、メキシコ料理、好きです。
デザート系はまだ美味しい!!っていうのに出会ってないけど。

メキシコ料理は美味しいです。
現地で食べた事無いので、メキシコ風なのかもしれませんが、メキシカンレストランで何度か食べたものにハズレは無かったです。（タコベルとかのファーストフードは食べたこと無いですけど）
アボカドや豆も一杯使ってあるし、見た目とは違って野菜も結構使ってあるんですよ。

いつか、メキシコに行って本場のメキシコ料理食べてみたいです。

Study English

I study English everyday.
I need to prepare for TOEFL.
But I think my vocabulary is not enough to take TOEFL.
(Actually my grammar is not enough too)
Sometimes I feel tired to study. But at the same time, I don't want to stop studying.
Why I can't understand grammar well? Especially Past Progressive and Present Perfect and Past Perfect and so on.

Today, I've read a book.
The book is about grammar.
Then I realized that each person has different time.
I mean, someone think 1week ago is really far away from today, but another person think it is near from today.
It makes grammar little easier for me.
But I still don't understand well anyway.

I feel really happy when I read English books.
Because I don't need translate.
So I can enjoy both English books and Japanese books.

Well, I'm back to study(^^)