To continue from my last post, here are 5 more uncommon shopping phrases.

1.   Separate checks / split checks.  Divide the bill for each person of a group.  Could we have separate checks please, all I had was a cup of tea.

2. It's a rip off.  Something that costs more than it's worth. $10 for a glass of OJ!  What a rip off, they're taking advantage of us!

3. Shopping spree. To spend a lot of money for many things.   As soon as my Christmas bonus comes, I'm going on a camp gear shopping spree.

4. Yard sale / garage sale.  Selling your old things in front of your house, or in your garage. We'll have to leave early if we want to find anything worth buying at his garage sale.

5. One stop shop.  A store where you can get almost anything.  Costco is almost a one stop shop, I really wish we had one closer than Sendai!

Have you had any fun shopping trips recently?

I bought a tent last week, I can't wait to try it out when I go hunting mountain vegetables this spring.

Next time, "Fences or Hedges"

In many of my classes, we have been studying shopping.  Unfortunately, the inflation in Japan (and around the world) has  taken some of the fun out of shopping. I did have a nice day shopping yesterday, and unexpectedly found many good deals at Dodger's Supermarket.  So with a little newfound positivity, let's learn some uncommon shopping phrases.

1. Shopping Therapy. (or Retail Therapy)  Buying something to make you feel better.  I broke up with my boyfriend yesterday, I think it's time for some shopping therapy.
2. Shop around.  Going to different stores to compare prices or services.  (also used for dating).  Don't settle on the first man you see, you'd better shop around!  (see video below)*
3. Shoplift. 万引き.  One of the signs of the bad economy is a startling increase in shoplifting.
4. Fit like a glove. to fit perfectly.  That suit fits you like a glove. You should definitely buy it.
5. Shop til you drop.  To keep shopping until you're too tired to continue. (it's an exaggeration).  I used to shop til I dropped all night!  These days, one or two stores is my limit.

https://youtu.be/QOboRbBytiQ Next time, 5 more phrases. In the mean time, I really enjoyed winter camping and snowshoeing last week. [caption id="attachment_2508" align="alignnone" width="333"] Thursday morning -5. Good morning![/caption]     [caption id="attachment_2509" align="alignnone" width="333"] The path to our tents.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2511" align="alignnone" width="948"] On the Babame road, a season's worth of snow.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2514" align="alignnone" width="948"] A beautiful winter river.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2513" align="alignnone" width="948"] Our path through unbroken snow, behind us,[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2512" align="alignnone" width="948"] In front of us.[/caption]    

HOP HOP HOP into 2023.

A belated happy new year to all my friends and students, and a VERY belated return to Marks's Phrase. I've learned not to make promises I can't keep, but in the spirit of new year's resolutions, I will try harder to post more here on this phrase page . . .try, try, try! I did have a wonderful Christmas and お正月. I spent it with family at home, quietly.  I will post some pictures below for those of you who are interested. In the meantime, I will continue my new year idiom tradition.  This year is the year of the rabbit.  So here are some common English rabbit idioms:

1. Like a rabbit caught in the headlights.  To be very surprised and freeze.  When I asked my son where he was all night, he looked at me like a rabbit caught in the headlights
2. Timid as a rabbit.  Someone who is very shy or scared.  It took a lot of courage to propose to my wife, I've always been as timid as a rabbit.
3. Pull a rabbit out of the hat.  To do something surprising or amazing.  I can't believe I made it in time for the party New Year's Eve.  I really pulled a rabbit out of a hat that day.  (I'll tell you the details later).
4. Multiply like rabbits.  To have a lot of kids.  That family has 19 KIDS!  The parents really multiply like rabbits.
5. The rabbit died. To be pregnant.   I guess we're having  another kid . . .the rabbit died.
6. Go down the rabbit hole. To start a strange journey or search that only becomes curiouser and curiouser.   If you really want to go down the rabbit hole, click on this link.
7. If you chase two rabbits you can't catch either one.  An easy to understand (?)  proverb. The government is trying to cut taxes and increase welfare at the same time, but if you chase two rabbits you will not catch either one.
8. Rabbit food. Salad greens.   One of my new year's resolutions is to diet, so I've only been eating rabbit food this week.
9. Rabbit on.  To talk and talk and talk!  I called to say a quick happy new year but he rabbited on for 45 minutes!
10.   Rabbit's foot.  A good luck charm . . . but clearly not lucky for the rabbit!   I put a rabbit's foot in my pen case for good luck on my entrance exams.

Today's BGM:

In a cottage in the wood

In the cottage in the woods, Little man by the window stood. Saw a rabbit hopping by, Knocking at the door.

“Help me! Help me! Help me!” he said, "Before the hunter shoots me dead!” “Little rabbit, come to me, Happy we will be.”

A rabbit song for adults;  White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane

https://youtu.be/TKZVUtvjBdM   [caption id="attachment_2482" align="alignnone" width="630"] Building a snowhouse with my grandson[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2483" align="alignnone" width="490"] Nothing better than a winter barbecue.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2484" align="alignnone" width="510"] with delicious meat.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2485" align="alignnone" width="531"] This year's Christmas lights.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2486" align="alignnone" width="1005"] This year's Christmas tree[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2487" align="alignnone" width="487"] Taking my grandson for his first bowling experience.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2488" align="alignnone" width="570"] First winter camp of the year.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2489" align="alignnone" width="506"] Snowshoeing in beautiful Akita.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2490" align="alignnone" width="477"] Blume Messe's Poinsettia tower.[/caption]

I spent the weekend on the floor.  No, I wasn't drunk (most of the time).  I finally decided to put down a new cushion floor in my classroom.  It was the first time I've tried it, so I spent a few weeks researching "how to" videos on you tube, and started Saturday afternoon.   [caption id="attachment_2442" align="alignnone" width="363"] Step 1, measuring and cutting.[/caption]   [caption id="attachment_2443" align="alignnone" width="800"] Step 2 fixing the holes in the old floor.[/caption]   [caption id="attachment_2444" align="alignnone" width="337"] Step 3, putting down glue and waiting for it to dry.[/caption]   [caption id="attachment_2445" align="alignnone" width="337"] Step 4, lay cushion floor.[/caption]   [caption id="attachment_2446" align="alignnone" width="800"] 1st half finished.[/caption]     [caption id="attachment_2448" align="alignnone" width="800"] Step 5, remove furniture from other half, . . repeat.[/caption]     [caption id="attachment_2450" align="alignnone" width="800"] Almost finished, completely exhausted![/caption]       [caption id="attachment_2453" align="alignnone" width="800"] The final product[/caption] I was actually very pleased with the results.  It came out better than I had expected.  What do you think?  Be honest! The worst part of the whole job, was moving furniture.  I had to take out four big bookcases, a huge desk, three tables, a white board and a big monitor.  I hope my back will be okay. This got me thinking about "floors".  There are many idioms in English that use "floor".  Here are a few:

1.  I'm floored!  This means "I can't believe something, or I am very surprised.  I was floored by the prices in the supermarket last time I went shopping.
2. Rooted to the floor.  This means I was so scared or interested that I couldn't move.   When I saw the terrible news about former PM Abe, I was rooted to the floor.
3. Mop up the floor with.  This means to win decisively.  The Angels mopped up the floor with the dodgers (I wish).
4. Get in on the ground floor.  This means to start with something from the very beginning.  If only I had gotten in on the ground floor of Apple, I would be so rich now!
5. Have the floor.  This means to be in charge for the moment.  I will now turn the floor over to our new President.
6. Sink through the floor.  This means to be so embarrassed you want to disappear.  After I tripped going down the aisle in my wedding ceremony, I wish I could have sunk through the floor.
7. On the cutting room floor. This means some idea that was thrown away.  I had some great suggestions during the meeting, but now they're all on the cutting room floor.
8. Pace the floor.  This means to be very worried about something and walk back and forth on the floor, literally or figuratively.  I've been pacing the floor for weeks about my new job.
9. ROTFL, Rolling on the floor laughing.  This means something was so funny I couldn't even stand up anymore.  It's used in SNS as ROTFL.  That YOUTUBE video had me ROTFL!!
10. Eat off the floor.  This means the floor, or house is so clean, you could eat off the floor.  It's used as an exaggeration.  My new floor is so clean you could eat off it . . . .until tomorrow.

So, I think that's enough for now.  Do you have any idioms in Japanese that use floor?  Please tell me this week.   Today's BGM;

One Man’s Ceiling Is Another Man’s Floor

There’s been some hard feelings here About some words that were said Been some hard feelings here And what is more There’s been a bloody purple nose And some bloody purple clothes That were messing up the lobby floor It’s just apartment house rules So all you ‘partment house fools Remember: one man’s ceiling Is another man’s floor One man’s ceiling Is another man’s floor There’s been some strange goin’s-on And some folks have come and gone And the elevator man don’t work no more I heard a racket in the hall And I thought I heard a fall But I never opened up my door It’s just apartment house sense It’s like apartment house rents Remember: one man’s ceiling Is another man’s floor I tell you, one man’s ceiling Is another man’s floor And there’s an alley In the back of my building Where some people congregate in shame I was walking with my dog And the night was black with smog When I thought I heard somebody Call my name Remember: one man’s ceiling Is another man’s floor

One of my favorite flowers has always been lilacs.  I have memories of waiting for the school bus in front of my house next to my mother's lilac bush.  The flowers smelled and tasted wonderful. About twenty years ago, I bought three lilac bushes at the Ueki Ichi in Yabase. Two of them died, but one of them slowly grew into a tall and beautiful tree. Unfortunately, about two years ago, it started dying.  First I lost half of it. Then this year, it completely died! I was so sad! I spent yesterday morning digging up the tree and the huge roots. Here is my hope for the future. Finally after a week with a bad back from cutting up my lilac tree, I planted two new lilacs this morning.  Here's hoping they grow into great trees someday.

Today's BGM

We'll gather lilacs in the spring again

Frank Sinatra

  We'll gather lilacs in the spring again And walk together down an English lane Until our hearts have learned to sing again When you come home once more And in the evening by the firelight's glow You'll hold me close and never let me go Your eyes will tell me all I want to know When you come home once more And in the evening by the firelight's glow You'll hold me close and never let me go Your eyes will tell me all I want to know When you come home once more  

After many weeks and months of thinking, worrying and planning, I have decided to return to America.  I'm going home today.  This will be my final post here. Thank you for all the wonderful years, I really enjoyed teaching all of you . . . most of you . . .  some of you!                      

I'm JOKING!!!

I'll stay in Akita forever . . .maybe? So, today is one of my favorite days of the year.  I woke up with plans on how to fool my family and friends.  It is now 9:30 a.m., and I have already fooled my wife and friend.  I still have 15 hours left!  I'm so excited. Have you fooled anyone today?  Here are a few famous April Fool's Day videos.  Maybe they will give you some ideas. In 1957 the BBC broadcast a famous April Fool's Day news clip about the spaghetti harvest in Italy: https://youtu.be/tVo_wkxH9dU

23 WAYS TO HAVE FUN AT HOME || APRIL FOOLS' DAY PRANKS

https://youtu.be/folseMrN5IU

10 DIY April Fools ♥ Pranks That Aren't Mean

https://youtu.be/_3-KF0XybFs  

April Fools' Day Pranks with Mark Rober

https://youtu.be/hdDBKxJSAHQ

ENJOY YOUR DAY!!

  For more ideas, scroll down.                      

https://twitter.com/i/status/1497067710131417088   https://youtu.be/gEX7Xxfr-qc I've been feeling very sad, depressed and discouraged this last week.  I've had trouble sleeping with all the turmoil in the world going through my mind at night. I have nieces from Ukraine with family who are stuck there.  My brother is doing all he can to get them out safely. In the face of all this, I want to focus on PEACE today. These quotes and more can be found here.  

• “Peace is a journey of a thousand miles and it must be taken one step at a time.” —Lyndon B. Johnson
• “ If you don't know the guy on the other side of the world, love him anyway because he's just like you. He has the same dreams, the same hopes and fears. It's one world, pal. We're all neighbors.” —Frank Sinatra
• “It isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn’t enough to believe in it. One must work at it.” —Eleanor Roosevelt
• “Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say that I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us and the world will be as one.” —John Lennon
• “An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.” —Mahatma Gandhi
• “Not one of us can rest, be happy, be at home, be at peace with ourselves, until we end hatred and division.” —John Lewis
• “You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.” ―Indira Gandhi

I am not naive.  I know these quotes won't get us out of our current problems, but for today, I choose to focus on PEACE!