2024/5/25(土)SMC

President's Remark: SM Kei Narisawa

To allow everyone to use about the same amount of time, we should limit the time of each of us to 6 min.

Word of the Day: SM Yoko Narisawa

 1. [ enthusiastic ] ( adj. )

< meaning >

feeling or showing a lot of interest and excitement about something

Ex. ) She is enthusiastic about the new teaching methods.

 2. [ enthusiastically ] ( adv. )

< meaning >

in a way that shows a strong feeling of interest and enjoyment about something

Ex. ) As the curtains closed, the audience applauded enthusiastically.

 3. [ enthusiasm ] ( noun )

< meaning >

a strong feeling of interest and enjoyment about something and eagerness to be involved in it

Ex. ) Her story fired me with enthusiasm. ( = made me very enthusiastic )

 4. [ enthusiast ] ( noun )

< meaning >

a person who is very interested in a particular activity or subject

Ex. ) New Zealand is an ideal holiday destination for wine enthusiasts.

 5. [ enthuse ] ( v. )

< meaning >

( vi. ) to talk about something in a very interested or excited way

Ex.) He was enthusing over a wonderful restaurant he’d been to.

(vt. ) to make someone interested in something or excited by it

Ex.) She was passionately interested in classical music but failed to enthuse her children.

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[ Fill in the blank with one of five words above ]

 Once upon a time in a small town lived an (enthusiastic) artist named Mary. She was an (enthusiast) of vibrant colors and bold strokes. Every stroke of her brush was filled with (enthusiasm), and she would (enthusiastically) share her passion with anyone willing to listen. Her (enthusiasm) was infectious, and soon the entire town became (enthusiasts) of art, gathering every weekend to (enthuse) over Mary’s latest creations.

Lecture: SM Koizumi

Ballroom Dance

A dance instructor, Koizumi, a member of the Japan Association of Teachers of Dancing (JATD), introduced the concept of ballroom dance and conveyed its benefits.

There are three main categories of ballroom dance:

Competition Dance: This includes ten types of dances:

Standard dances: Waltz, Tango, Slow Foxtrot, Quickstep, and Viennese Waltz.

Latin dances: Rumba, Cha-cha-cha, Samba, Paso Doble, and Jive.

Cruise Dance for Beginners: These dances are designed to be accessible and enjoyable for beginners:

Standard dances: Blues, Tango, and Waltz.

Latin dances: Mambo, Square Rumba, and Jitterbug.

People familiar with competition dance can also enjoy these dances.

Party Dance in Public Halls: These are popular dances often encountered at social events:

Standard dances: Waltz, Tango, and Slow Foxtrot.

Latin dances: Rumba, Cha-cha-cha, and Samba.

To enjoy ballroom dance, moving well to the music is essential. According to the Musical Requirements by IDTA Walter Laird, there are several elements to consider: Tempo, Rhythm, The Art of Dancing, Timing, and so on. For example, for Waltz, Tango, and Blues, the tempo and rhythm are:

Dance         Tempo (actual)                Rhythm (time, length, strength)

Waltz           30 BPM (28–29)              3/4 (a tune in triple) One Two Three

Tango          33–34 BPM (31–33)        4/4 (a tune in quadruple) Slow Slow Quick Quick

Blues           30 BPM (28–29)              4/4 (a tune in quadruple) Slow Slow Quick Quick

The essential elements of ballroom dance are hold, position, balance, face direction, and movement.

Using dance music, we learned which dance was suitable for each type of music, and Koizumi demonstrated basic steps to the music, such as waltz, tango, slow foxtrot, and rumba. The benefits of dance include improved health, safe walking, and maintaining a youthful appearance.

Table Topic Speech

(1) What will you never give up on?

(2) What did you learn recently that changed the way you live?

(3) What is your fondest memory from the past three years?

(4) What is your most valuable life lesson you learned from your parents?

(5) What are the primary components of a happy life?

(6) What is your favorite song and why?

(7) How do you define success?

Prepared Speech

(1) Late Comer: SM Noro

I would like to talk about common sense of Japanese people by referring the structuralism approach.

When we were born, the world already existed. Japanese people think that we were not committed to the creation of the world or universe. We are all the “late comer” to the world. According to this point of view, Japanese people naturally think that we have to respect the harmony with the world or nature. We have freedom of how we survive, but we don’t have any right or authority to change the world and nature. And the Japanese pass on myths or mythical wisdom from generation to generation in order to learn about and respond to the world.

I believe that the Japanese are fundamentally humble because of this mindset.

On the other hand, the western people also are the late comer to the world and they think that God was committed to the creation of the world and/ or universe, because it is well-organized. So, they respect the God and obey the god’s teachings. This is the common sense of the western people. The western people believe that human beings have God-given freedom and rights. In this course, the religion such as Christianity was invented. Religion defines community norms and strengthens social bonds. And then it has a significant impact on laws, ethics, and politics. There are myths in Europe, but it is religion that influences the structure of human society. That is also because religion has the concept of One God. Probably, mythological gods feel and act like human beings, but religions have Absolute God. It can be said that the western people are in awe of the Absolute God.

I have talked about “late comer” so far, but people tend to forget their origins as they get older. This is especially true for men, who will take for granted the rights and authority they are given and structurally entitled to after their birth.

I think ugly authoritarian politicians such as Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin appeared in this mindset. And I think the world becomes unstable because old men lose their common sense that they are “late comers”.

Relatively speaking, young people somehow remember that they are “late comers”. Therefore, I think that politics should be left to young people.

(2) Goldfish: SM Kaneko

A few weeks ago, I noticed mosquito larvae in an earthenware basin that my late father had set on the ground for watering plants. Concerned about the mosquitoes, I thought of introducing goldfish to the basin, as they might eat the larvae and prevent the emergence of mosquitoes. With this in mind, I decided to visit a pet shop that specializes in tropical fish.

At the shop, a staff member mentioned that they sell small goldfish, known as 'koaka,' typically seen at summer festival goldfish scooping games. These fish are often sold as bait rather than for ornamental purposes. Hearing this made me feel sad about their fate, as they can live much longer if given the chance. Despite this, they are a delight to look at.

I purchased three goldfish and placed them in the basin. It seems to have worked well, as the mosquito larvae have disappeared. I am pleased with the outcome and don't feel guilty about the larvae being eaten by the goldfish.

(3) Killing Two Birds with One Stone: SM Kei Narisawa

The English expression "killing two birds with one stone" is fantastic, conveying the idea of achieving two goals with a single action. Examples include losing weight by eating healthy foods like Konyaku jelly and improving English skills by watching movies with subtitles.

Since retiring, I've battled diabetes, a common issue as we age. Preventing such ailments requires exercise and a good diet. While I can control my diet, I struggle with resisting chocolate and lack motivation for regular exercise.

I love singing karaoke and wish doctors would prescribe it instead of medication. Singing can burn significant calories, and it would be great if doctors recommended karaoke sessions based on the severity of one's condition.

At the gym, despite hard workouts, the calories burned often feel disappointing compared to the food equivalents shown on the machines. However, modern karaoke machines now display calories burned per song. Fast-paced songs burn more calories, averaging 10 calories per song. Singing 10 songs burns 100 calories, and 200 songs burn 2000 calories, the daily intake for an adult woman.

Unlike walking or gym workouts, which require perseverance, karaoke is enjoyable and sustainable for a lifetime. It combines exercise with pleasure, making it a perfect way to manage diabetes. That's truly killing two birds with one stone.

(4) Me and English: SM Ishimura

After graduating from university, I joined a company run by a Norwegian that acted as an agent for foreign ships calling in Japanese ports. This was about 60 years ago. At that time, we didn’t have the convenience of computers or smart phones for communication. Most of our overseas contact was done via telex.

Have you ever seen or used a telex machine?

The cost of communication methods like telephone and telegrams was extremely high, so we kept our communications as brief as possible to save money.

Communication with the ships was conducted via telegrams, often through stations like the Choshi radio Station. To save on costs, we kept our messages short and to the point.

Grammatical correctness in English wasn’t very important, but fulfilling the owners’ or masters’ requirements was crucial.

 On ship’s arrival first Japanese port, there is a quarantine inspection, following that, customs officers board the ship. If the captain or the ship possesses items such as pistols, excess cigarettes or medical narcotics. They are placed in the ship’s safe and sealed. Immigration officials check the crew’s passports and issue their landing permits.

 Although my English wasn’t very good, I quickly adapted to the work and learned about maritime operations. However, when I received direct calls from the England or America, the rapid speech was often difficult to understand, and I had to ask my Norwegian colleagues to take over.

Whenever i visited foreign ships that dock in Japan, the crew always welcomes me with smile. This is because they are eagerly waiting for letters and things from their families or loved ones. When I hand over a bundle of mail to the captain. He always offered me a coffee and cigarettes.

I don’t have the opportunity to use English now, but I would like to continue studying English. Because I like it.I believe the best way to learn a language is by listening to native speakers as much as possible and getting used to their conversations. About 20 years ago, at the age of 60, I obtained the Pre-1st Grade in the Eiken English proficiency test. Since then, I have attempted the 1st Grade test three times but unfortunately did not pass. I plan to continue studying English and Korean on my own because I enjoy these languages.

(5) 15% of kids: SM Eda

Meeting Schedule

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

(Coordinator: SM Eda, Word of the Day: SM Koizumi, Lecturer: SM Takahata)

Zoom: 7:30 PM on May 27 and Jun. 3