JUJUBE

I hope you already know my name. My name is Natsume. “Natsume” means jujubes in English. Do you know jujubes? It is not famous one, so maybe you don’t know, and actually I also don’t know well. So I researched about it and introduce it today.

Firstly, I’d like to talk about the reason why my name is Natsume. When my oldest brother was 3, my mother was pregnant. While he was taking a walk with my mother, she found trees of jujubes and told him its name is natsume in Japanese. The nuts were little and cute, and had red color. He saw them and said to her, “If this baby is a girl, I want to name her Natsume because I hope she becomes cute like these nuts.” The baby was a boy (he is my second oldest brother), and 7 years later, I was born and named Natsume by my oldest brother. Who were you named by? I think it is not common that brother or sister names his or her younger siblings. When I was told this story by my mother, I was so happy and I came to like my name much more than before.

Jujube tree is deciduous one. Its nuts are about 2cm, and when it gets ripen, it becomes red. It is famous for its nutritive value and often used as an herb medicine especially in China. Jujubes are said to be the big five fruits in China with peaches, plums, apricots, and Japanese apricots. There is a proverb that if you eat three jujubes a day, you don’t age because of the nutritive value. Not only in China, jujubes are eaten in some countries. In Taiwan, people eat green unripe ones. I also have eaten some before. It tasted like apples. In Korea, it is used in Samgyetang, a nourishing food. Jujube tea is popular too, but I don’t like the taste. In Western countries, it is sometimes used in candies. Jujubes are loved by people in all over the world.

Of cource jujubes are loved in Japan too. You can see dried jujubes at supermarkets. And there are small containers called natsume. It is used for put Japanese tea leaves. The shape of it is like a jujube so it is called natsume in Japanese. I think the word natsume has Japanese images. When I become an old lady, maybe my name fits me. Actually natsume is sometimes used as a name of Japanese restaurant and shops. I like something Japanese so it is one of the reason I like my name.

I'm thankful to my family for giving me my name of Natsume. This name is not common so everyone quickly remember my name. I feel happy when my family and my friends call my name. And my name is written in Hiragana, Japanese style, so it looks soft and feminine. I'm proud of my name and also jujubes. I hope everyone know about jujubes much more. I want to be loved by everyone in all over the world like jujubes.

LADY KILLER

This time I’ll introduce a song I’m listening to almost every day recently. The name of the song is “Lady Killer.” It is sung by maroon 5. They are famous American rock band composed of five men. They are famous and popular also in Japan, and they held their concerts in Budokan and so on. They have many hit songs, for example, “Sunday Morning” and “Moves Like Jagger.” But “Lady Killer” is maybe not so famous. I listened to the song for the first time when I went to take a dance lesson. I learned choreography on this song. Since then the song is my favorite song. At first, I had interest in only the melody and the voice. Later, I read the lyrics and I found it is strange.

 Ooooh

 She’s in it just to win it

 Don’t trust her for a minute

 Ooooh

 It’s a like cheap thriller

 She’s such a lady killer

It is the hook (high point of a song) of “Lady Killer.” In this song, “she” is referred as “lady killer” and an insane girl. And after this is the part I danced on and I felt horror and a little excited.

 Baby she’ll eat you alive, as soon as she smells you blood in the water

 You better run to survive, before she makes you her latest slaughter

 How could you do it? oh, just come back to me, baby i’m begging please

 How could you do it? oh, she knows I love you still, you’re just a ladies killer

Who is “she”? Who is “you”? What is relationship between “she” and “you”? It seems that many this song’s fans think about the meaning of this song like me. I found a lot of interpretations on Internet. The interpretations are different from each fan.

Interpretation 1

There are three people: a boy (the point of view), a girlfriend of the boy, and the girlfriend’s friend. The girlfriend’s friend love and want the boy. The girlfriend’s friend wants them to separate so she tries to trick the girlfriend. The boy notices her thought and he warns his girlfriend. He refers the girlfriend’s friend as killer.

Interpretation 2

This song is about a man who was left by his girlfriend. The man begs her to come back to him instead of staying with "lady killer" (I don't know what does mean this "lady killer"). Some people interpret that this man is Adam Levine, the singer of maroon 5, and he sings to his girlfriend.

Interpretation 3

"Lady killer" is just a girl who goes out of her way to hurt others!

Eventually I couldn't find exactly correct answer, but I think the first interpretation is interesting. I always listening to only music and don't think about the lyrics. This was the first time. Once I started to consider meanings of the lyrics, I found it interesting, and I came to want to know why did the song writer (including Adam Levine) write this song. Since today, I'll listen to many songs with the lyrics. If I find favorite songs and lyrics, I'll tell you about it on this blog. I put a video with the lyrics of "Lady Killer," so please let me know your interpretations!

SUMMER

I was really looking forward to summer vacation at the end of last semester. I didn't enjoy summer vacation last summer because I was a student preparing for an entrance examination, so I spend all last summer studying. In contrast, I had two months summer vacation this year! I decided to enjoy this summer to my heart's content.

My summer vacation started with summer camp of G-splash, the dance circle I belong to. It was held in a site of a training camp. The schedule of the camp was so hard to me. We practiced all day long in very hot rooms, and moreover, our group continued practice until midnight on the first day. I was so tired and sleepy, but actually I enjoyed the time because I love dance. On the second day, we all performed our dance with costumes. We had nine groups, and after the performances we voted and decided the No.1 groups. I was in lockin' group, and we got second place! I'm grateful to our seniors. At the second night I don't have to practice any more, but my body wanted to move, so I practiced some steps with my friends. It was so fun! At the summer camp, I was really stimulated by our friends' dance. My friends around me always stimulate me in dance. I'm happy to have such friends. After the summer camp, I became love dance much more, and I wanted to try anything. I went to take a dance work shops of a famous dancer from America. I was really nervous, but his dance was so attractive that I really enjoyed dancing his choreography. Of course he had lessons in English, so I could study English a little. It was good experience and good memory for me.

I also spent this summer working part-time job. The restaurant I work is Hawaiian one and near the beach, so many many people came in this summer. The restaurant is so famous and popular that there were a long line of people in front of the restaurant every day. I was so busy with taking their orders, carrying many plates, clearing the tables and so on. At first, I made a lot of mistakes and I was scolded our managers so I don't like working there. But now I work with joy. When I see our guests eating with smile, when they tell me thanks, I feel happy. Guests from foreign country often come to the restaurant. But I couldn't wait on them in English well. I have to make an effort with English.

Actually, I have little chance to improve my English. I wanted to study abroad in short time, about a month. Some of my friends went abroad and had a great experience. At the next vacation, maybe from February to March, I will go abroad and study English. As the preparation of it, I have to make an effort in this semester. I have to attend the classes more actively, and I want to improve my English. I want to read many books and stories. This blog will give me chances to keep in touch with English. It was hard task for me last semester, but I'll stick it out!