2022/2/22(土)*SMC*

Word of the Day: SM Ishimura

US president Trump likes to use following  words.

Bigly; In a big way

  # Example; We’re going to win this election bigly!

　＃　The word itself is archaic adverb meaning “in big manner” or “greatly”. Trump likely intended to say “big league” but ended up saying “bigly”. This pronunciation quirk stuck and became a notable part of his speech style.

Yuge; An exaggerated way of saying “huge”

  # Example: That was a yuge success!

　＃It’s a variation of the word “huge”. He often used it to emphasize the scale or importance of something making it a memorable part of his public speeches.

Swamp; refers to the political establishment or corruption

  # Example: We need to drain the swamp in Washington.

  # Trump promised “drain the swamp” and reform the corrupt political system in Washington, D.C.

Fake News; Used to describe news stories he believes are false or misleading.

   # Example; The media is full of fake news.

No collusion; denies any wrongdoing or conspiracy

   # Example: There was absolutely no collusion.

   # frequently used by Trump to deny any allegations of cooperation or conspiring between his 2016 presidential campaign.

Sad ; Expresses disappointment  or disapproval.

   # Example; It’s really sad what’s happening to our country.

Lock Her Up ;  refers to his desire to imprison Hillary Clinton

   # Example; Lock her up!   She should be in jail.

Make America Great Again (MAGA): His campaign slogan promising to restore America’s  former glory.

　　　　    # Example : We will make America great again

Lecture: SM M.G

Usage of “as” and “by”　

①1. Examples of “as” (～として)

(A)  the form of measurement or expression

• The price is given as a percentage of the original cost.

(B)  a role or function

• She works as a doctor.

(C)  identity

2. Examples of “by”(～によって、～で)

(A)the standard of measurement

• Employees are paid by the hour.

(B) means or method

• She traveled by train.

(C) a difference or margin

• He missed the bus by two minutes.

(D) Agent(doer of the action)

② as a percentage

by percentage

③ Among cow's milk, usually the main difference is the amount of fat in the milk, measured as a percentage of the total liquid by weight.

Table Topic Speech

1) What are you looking forward to in the upcoming week?

2) Whom do you secretly envy? Why?

3) positive changes have you made in your life recently?

4) Peace is possible.

5) What do you sometimes pretend you understand that you really don't?

6) Where or who do you turn to when you need good advice?

7) What is your happiest memory?

Prepared Speech

1)  Laughter is the best medicine: SM Yoko Narisawa

 It is often said that “A joke a day keeps the doctor away” and “Laugh and grow fat”( 笑う門には福来る). Laughter is essential for maintaining good  health. It has been proven to provide various health benefits. For example, laughter strengthens resistance and immunity against cancer and viruses. It  also helps activate brain function, improving memory and thinking ability. When we laugh a lot and take in more oxygen, our metabolism becomes more active. Laughter releases endorphins, “ the brain’s happiness hormone,” making us feel happier.

 Do you laugh every day? It is said that children laugh 400 times a day, while adults laugh only about 15 times. So what can we do to bring more laughter into our daily lives? One way is to actively look for things that make us laugh and share them with those around us.

 Today I’d like to share some amusing moments I’ve encountered.

 The other day, I took my daughter’s pet dog, Koume for a walk in the park near my house. There were many dogs walking there. It was very cold even during the day. Some dogs wore fashionable clothes, while others wore ordinary ones. However, only one dog stood out - it had its stomach  wrapped in a blanket. It looked just like a hot dog. The sight made me laugh out loud.

 As you all know, my husband loves telling jokes. He often cracks jokes at home to make me laugh. His latest one went like this: My husband and I were watching the weather forecast on TV. The weather forecaster’s name was くぼてんき. On hearing his name, my husband yelled at the TV, “ I don’t want to know the weather! Tell me your child’s name - 天気の子？ I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

 Now, let me share some jokes with you.

 A Japanese history teacher told his students, “ Since we’re behind schedule, I’ll destroy the Muromachi Shogunate in just 50 minutes today.”

 At kindergarten, a three-year-old boy tried to boast about his father’s occupation ‘ pharmacist’ ( 薬剤師 ), but couldn’t pronounce it correctly.  Proudly, he said, “ My father is ヤクザ. His job is お薬を売る仕事だよ.”

 A teacher asked Tom, “ What’s the Cold War?”

Tom answered, “ A snowball fight.”

 In our daily lives, amusing things happen all the times. It is important to  find those moments and smile. Smiles bring happiness. Let’s laugh together and make our lives richer.

2) Celebrating Longevity: SM Noro

As you know, the 23rd of February is the birthday of the Emperor, and it also happens to be the birthday of my mother. My mother will be 88 years old tomorrow. So every member of the family will celebrate her birthday tomorrow with a fancy meal at a Japanese restaurant.

In many cultures, reaching a long life is a great achievement. Today I would like to share with you a special celebration in Japan - my mother's 88th birthday, known as Beiju. The number 88 is written in a way that resembles the character for rice, which is a symbol of prosperity and longevity in Japanese culture.

In Western countries, it seems that milestone birthdays such as 50, 60, and especially 100 are widely celebrated.

For me, this celebration is not only about age, but also about thanking my mother for her strength and love for us. My father died when I was 18 and my brother was 16. Since then, my mother has been all about us. She always tried to give us the chance to go to university, get married and have a loving family. For a long time, she sacrificed her own preferences and freedom. That is why it was so hard for her to lose her younger son last year. And I really wish her happiness.

No matter what culture you come from, celebrating longevity is a way to express gratitude and cherish your loved ones. And I am sure that tomorrow's lunch will be an opportunity to experience the importance of family.

Finally, I would like to share what I asked AI about what is necessary for longevity. Longevity is best supported by a healthy diet, regular exercise, quality sleep, stress management, strong social connections, avoidance of harmful substances, lifelong learning, regular health checkups, and a sense of purpose.

All these apply to you all, so I think you will enjoy a long life.

3) Lost and Found: SM Kei Narisawa

Recently, I lost my smartphone. Have you lost anything recently? As we get older, forgetfulness can become a real problem.

I lost my phone the day I went to Eikaiwa at Sagamihara Church with my friend, SM Kaneko. We met at Kamimizo Station and drove to the church. While unlocking the parking lot gate, I might have dropped it. During the English lesson, I realized it was missing. Panicked, I searched everywhere—the sidewalk, around the car, inside the car—but found nothing. At home, my wife confirmed I had taken it with me, which made me even more anxious. The next day, the phone was found—intact—under the driver’s seat.

That was about losing a phone, but what about losing confidence?

When I taught at Machida High School, I co-taught an English communication class. I believed reading English helped with fluency, but when I lacked time to prepare, I struggled. My assistant noticed my inconsistency, making me doubt myself. Eventually, I realized my skills hadn’t disappeared—it was my confidence that wavered.

As SMC members, we juggle many responsibilities, and there will be days when we can’t study English. But don’t worry—your skills won’t vanish so easily. Keep up the good work!

4) 35th Simokitazawa Theater Festival: SM Koizumi 

The season of the Shimokitazawa Theater Festival has arrived. At Shimokitazawa Station I found banners announcing the festival have been put up. As soon as I saw them, I quickly went online to register.

This year, I found that performances by two amateur-based theater groups, Team A and Team B, were available for free. This is one of the great things about Shimokitazawa—a place where theater is deeply ingrained in its culture. Behind this environment lies the strong influence of Kazuo Honda, the man who helped cultivate Shimokitazawa's theatrical scene.

Both Team A and Team B feature Kazuo Honda himself as a performer. On Thursday, February 13, at Kitazawa Town Hall in Shimokitazawa, I had the chance to watch Team A’s play, “Bahchan’s Eleven” Grandma’s 11. After returning home from the performance, I received an email from “teket” encouraging me to send my feedback and support the organizers.

This year, I truly enjoyed the play, so I was happy to respond.

In one word: It was uplifting! Thank you! The casting brought out each performer’s individuality, and the story was genuinely engaging. Elderly actors, middle-aged performers, children, and of course, Honda-san, all interacted skillfully on stage.  I’m already looking forward to the next performance!

Kazuo Honda was born in 1934 and is now 90 years old as of this February. Last year, he was honored as a Distinguished Citizen of Setagaya Ward in recognition of his lifelong contributions to making culture and the arts more accessible and enjoyable to the community. This recognition is truly well-deserved.

Even at 90, Honda-san’s spirit as an actor remains as vibrant as ever. His passion for theater reaches not only the elderly and middle-aged performers but also the young child actors—and even us, the audience.

Thank you!

5) A Great Shock: SM Eda

Meeting Schedule

In-person: 9:30 AM on Mar. 8 at Oyama Community Center (tea room)

(Coordinator: SM Noro, Word of the Day: SM Yoko Narisawa, Lecturer: SM Kei Narisawa)

Zoom: 7:30 PM on Feb. 24 and Mar. 3