Happy holiday season!

I do love this time of  year since my childhood. As a homemaker, I'm very busy to get things done, but I've enjoyed this season as much as possible. I like to go out especially at night when the city acquires a wondrous air.

First of all, I went to enjoy "Kobe Luminarie."
(YouTube Kobe Luminarie 2009)
Have you ever been there? If so, how did you like it? It is a special illuminations displayed for two weeks in the former half of December. I hear it is originally from Italy and the art director is an Italian. Famous streets of Kobe are lined with millions of lights and the moment of lighting up is breathtakingly beautiful above all. Solemn church music evoked sadness in me for a moment because I remembered Kobe Luminarie started as a memorial service to the victims of the Great Hanshin Earthquake, and to encourage people as well. While walking under the canopy of the arts of lights, my heart was filled with someting warm in spite of the cold creeping from the sea.

A week before Christmas is one of few days in a year when
you find me making a cake or baking cookies. On Christmas Eve, I will casually go with my husband to an orchestral music concert held at a library. Right after Christmas, I put away all the (modest) Christmas decorations and displays at home, and start to tackle with preparations for the New Year.

Over the New Year, I'll keep up family customs as usual. New Year's Eve is spent at home, watching TV , eating "toshikoshi soba" which literally means "year passing buckwheat noodles," and listening to " joya no kane," or toll bells which ring out old year and ring in new year, at midnight. On a New Year Day, my son and his wife join us, my husband, daughter and me. We wish each other's good luck and health of the year, have a feast, and then worship a shrine in the neighborhood. I look forward to seeing again a lovely white horse there. On the second day, I go to my mom's home; it's once-a-year family reunion. Next year we'll celebrate her "sotsuju," or 90th birthday. On the third day, I visit in-laws' and pay a visit to family grave. I like the warmth and cheerfulness of family together of these three days.

With best wishes for a joyful Christmas and a happy New Year.

♪ Billy Joel and Elton John ♪

(This is an assignment of EWII.) 
I am a lifelong fan of Billy Joel, an American singer-songwriter and composer of classical music. His English counterpart is, of course, Elton John! I have enjoyed his music, too. If Billy’s signature song is "Piano Man," Elton’s would be "Your Song." What do you think? They have some similarities and differences.

Elton is two years older than Billy. They were two of the most successful pop and rock musicians throughout 70’s and 80’s. After that, they continued their music activities and had a few sporadic hits. You’ll frequently hear their music as BGM and commercial songs. Currently Billy’s "Uptown Girl" is used in the Kirin beer advertisement. In Face-to-Face concert, they have made tours together around the world.

They are both pianists. They started playing piano at the age of four. Probably due to classical music training, they are especially blessed with melodic skills. Billy’s trademark is rapid-fire piano playing exemplified in "Angry Young Man," "Running on Ice," and so on. I feel Elton’s touch of piano is, in general, lighter and sounds bouncing.

Billy wrote both lyrics and tunes, while Elton wrote only the tunes: his lyricist is Bernie Taupin and they have been working together since 1967 as a hit-making duo. Billy is a good storyteller, and Elton makes a perfect melody for Taupin’s poetically beautiful lyrics.

Each performer has his own style of performance, and both are powerful. Billy is famous for his movement and Elton for his flamboyance. Elton has more charisma, I think.

Both of them have worked hard for charity. Billy has worked hard on preservation of what is left of the old Long Island where he is from. His anger over the random development of the place is shown in "No Man’s Land," and "The Downeaster Alexa" is dedicated to the commercial fishermen of Long Island. Elton is noted for Elton John Aids Foundation.

They both had hard times, especially Elton battled various addictions and public scandals mainly because of his homosexuality. He persevered as expressed in his song "I’m still Standing." Billy suffered legal and financial problems in his early years and has paid the price of celebrity in heated gossip.

I’ve learned English from their music. I think it’s one of the most enjoyable ways to learn a language. I’ve picked up many useful English expressions from their songs, some of which have a really nice ring. I’m glad that Billy Joel and Elton John are good rivals, friends, and fans of each other’s music.

Summary of "Animal Farm"

(This is an assignment of EWII.)

Animal Farm (Japanese here)by George Orwell was published in 1945. At first it looks like a fable for children but actually it is a satire on how the utopian ideas fall into totalitarianism.

Animals of Manor Farm get rid of humans from the farm to be free from misery and slavery. They try to establish a utopia. They are supposed to strictly follow the Seven Commandments of Animalism. The most important commandment is that "all the animals are equal." Pigs are the most intelligent on the farm and take leadership. Gradually a clever elite pig takes control. He gets rid of his rival, another elite pig, by a cunning and ruthless way. Then he amends each guiding principle one by one. One pig plays the role of advertisement. He tells lies repeatedly. Other animals are honest, good-hearted, hardworking, but not intelligent or aware enough to see through the lies and they come to believe eventually. The most important article is altered to "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than other animals." It's too late when animals realize what's going on. For most of animals, their revolution has caused only a change of the ruler from humans to pigs. They are in worse misery than before.