2021/03/27(土)SMC
Hello everyone !
Here is the summary of the meeting held on Apr. 27. The weather was perfectly comfortable for cherry blossom viewing.
In the opening remarks, the President touched on his recent pet issues of interest on YouTube programs. He said that his interest has been drifting into things that are seemingly irrelevant to English study such as songs by artists who are loved by teenagers in particular on YouTube programs: Yoasobi and Hige-dandism.
SM Yo. Narisawa and SM Yamazaki served as the Coordinator and the Lecturer respectively.
The Coordinator mentioned that at the end of the term she is going to quit her teaching job for junior high school students due to the long commute, which takes half an hour each way by car. However, she highlighted that the experiences of teaching was invaluable, saying that communications with her students were truly pleasant and joyful overall.
Lecture
The lecture was centered around reading an English passage from the business magazine of FORTUNE (published in 2013).
Here are key words and phrases from the magazine that was designated to be disposed of by his parent company’s library.
unsavory: unpleasant or offensive; not considered morally acceptable
Her friends are all pretty unsavory characters.
throw your weight around: to use your position or influence unfairly to get what you want:
Jim was a tyrant who threw his weight around when it came to punishing his students.
one-upmanship: The art or practice of successively outdoing a competitor
They are bent on one-upmanship. I think it's hopeless to try to stop them.
Table Topic Speech
“What do you have that you can't live without? “ (SM Kaneko)
The speaker initially raised his bicycle that is a crucial tool to move around daily in a joking way, and moved on to more consequential issues such as his cellphone with convenient and essential apps. In response, SM Takahata expressed her feelings of resonance, saying that she carries her cellphone within reach, exchanging communications with her granddaughters in particular. SM K. Narisawa raised YouTube programs to which he has been more and more hooked recently, saying that he is likely to forget time until he is called by his wife for lunch and dinner.
“What is the number one quality that makes a good leader? “ (SM K. Narisawa)
The speaker talked about his experiences at his workplaces, saying that being observant is one of the indispensable qualities for a leader. In response to a question about who is the leader at his home, SM Yu. Narisawa said that he undoubtedly isn’t a leader in his family. In connection with the issue, SM K. Narisawa gave a funny idiom of “call on the carpet”, saying that he is usually ended up being called on the carpet by his wife.
“How many hours a week do you spend online?” (SM Yu. Narisawa)
The speaker jokingly talked about his daily practices of spending time online, saying that he is almost entirely connected to the internet except for sleeping and other everyday things for living. He also raised some interesting YouTube programs, saying that some of the things are drawn out of nostalgia. One of the things includes English conversation programs on TV and the radio in which Marsha Krakower san served as the host more than twenty years ago.
“What is your favorite place on Earth?” (SM Takahata)
The speaker took up her house where she has been living for 25 years. She said that the house was renovated recently and the kitchen particularly became rather comfortable. She also added the neighborhood whose landscape has been changing. In response, SM Yamazaki said that his room (actually an attic of his house) is his favorite place. However, he half-jokingly said that he is fearful about something that his privacy is from time to time invaded.
“What are recent compliments you’ve received? “ (SM Yamazaki)
Unable to recall the experience of being praised, the speaker mentioned something irrelevant to the topic directly. He said that he renewed the contract for new fiscal year with the company he works for parttime. The contract is not guaranteed for the whole of the next business year because the contract is to be renewed every three months. With the help of SM K. Narisawa successfully completed the part of his speech, saying that he enjoys his job online while listening to his favorite radio programs that take up a wide ranging issues from political and economic affairs to down to inconsequential matters including dirty jokes that make everybody laugh. The Coordinator kindly raised the issue of challenging himself to an English test every year, which ended up the most recent compliment he has received.
Prepared Speech
“Where would you like to be buried? “ (SM Takahata)
The speaker talked about her father who passed away recently. Due to old age he spent the end of his life at a nursing home, not at the hospital, she said. She said he ended his life with no life-support measures, which gives her a feeling of consolation though she couldn’t have a chance to meet him for the past one year due to the pandemic. Through the experience of having a funeral for her father, the speaker vaguely has come to think of a place where the couple are to be buried because they are both second son and daughter respectively, she said. The word inscribed on the grave stone is 倶会一処(Kue-Issho) meaning that “We will all surely meet again in the Pure Land”.
“Werewolf of London” (SM Yu. Narisawa)
The speaker introduced the song of “Werewolf of London” that he happened to find on the internet. The song was for a movie with the same title that appeared nearly 100 years ago. "Werewolves of London" is a rock song performed by American singer-songwriter Warren Zevon. It was composed by Zevon, LeRoy Marinell and Waddy Wachtel and was included on Excitable Boy (1978). The song had a resurgence in popularity in 1986 due to its use in a scene in The Color of Money, where Tom Cruise dances and lip-synchs to the song in a scene in which Cruise "displayed the depths of his talents at the billiards game of 9-ball." (From the internet)
“Play it Safe” (SM K. Narisawa)
The speaker talked about things that he saw on YouTube, saying that his interest has growingly been shifting to things that often appear in manga--characteristics of the present society. They often include bad boys and bad girls. “Play it safe” is his principle, he said. Overall the main character is centered on the characteristics of being introverted and seeks a lonely life, but in the end finds peace. Also he touched on the word of DQN (Dokyūn), a slang term used in 2channel for someone who is extremely foolish. Then his speech turned to the issue of high school students, female high school students in particular. As they have fragile mentality, A flexible approach is necessary, he stressed. Some high school students are simply overjoyed with the word of complement, others don’t because they don’t want to stand out, saying the conventional way of giving compliments sometimes goes against them. In connection with the issue, SM Takahata recalled her memories that the teachers appeared to struggle with handling female high school students who are susceptible to relationships with others mainly caused by words.
“Spring has come.” (SM Kaneko)
The speaker took up a timely issue at this time of year. He talked about the moment when he feels it is spring: temperature, sprout/bud, pollen allergy, gusty wind, handling of remaining kerosene. He also added the issue of a woman who is a member of his other English study club. The family of the person is going to America soon but he expressed the feelings of being regretful about difficulty of having a farewell party for her due to the pandemic. He also added that spring is his favorite season anyway. In connection with a farewell party, SM Yamazaki raised an issue that around the time of year at which some TV programs are changed, one veteran TV MC ended his career after 22 years on a news program in the morning. He said that he felt lonely at the announcement, even though he wasn't really interested in the program.
Next Meeting: Apr. 10 (Sat.) Oyama Community Center
Coordinator: SM Takahata, Lecturer: SM Noro
Reported by YAMAZAKI