Last week's Phrase, "Take A Load Off", is used for relaxing, but too much relaxing is not good for anyone right?  Balance in all things. Get off your butt.  Is often used by parents when their kids are sitting watching TV or playing too many video games.  It means GET UP!,  DO SOMETHING! Get off your butt and do your homework! You can't just sit there all day, get off your butt and help me! If you want me to get off your back, get off your butt! On Saturday, my friends and I went out snowshoeing in the beautiful wilderness of Yuwa.  We walked for more than 3 and a half hours.  I was physically exhausted, but mentally rejuvenated. So let's all get off our butts, and make the world a better place.

  This is a very casual way of asking someone to sit down.  After a long hard week, I'm really enjoying my free weekend when I can take a load off and watch some old movies.  Here are a few examples: You've been working all day, why don't you take a load off and have a drink. Grab a chair, take a load off. stay awhile. Take a load off and tell me what you've been doing these days. A variation is also  used to say "Don't worry." Take a load off your mind. Look at these test results, this should take a load off your mind. I hope you were able to take a load off and enjoy a relaxing weekend. Now are you ready to start a new week?   Here's a great song about "taking a load off", from 1968, The Band singing The Weight.  

This week's phrase is very simple, but I hope useful.  Here are a few examples: This smell reminds me of my Grandmother's house. Do you ever smell something that takes you right back to going into your Grandma's house as a child?  I do! This song reminds me of my first girlfriend.  Music is a strong memory.  Don't we all have a song that takes us back to our first love?  I do! And  finally, This watch reminds me of my Father. My Father passed away last month, and I received his watch as an heirloom.  I cleaned it, reset the time, and started wearing it yesterday.  It feels like I have a little bit of my Father with me. How many ways can you use this phrase?  Good luck! おまけ Click here for a great version of My Grandfather's Clock. 伊藤秀志 大きな古時計 (ZuZuバージョン)歌词   でっけくて背の高げ　古くせ時計っこだば 我家の爺っこの時計っこ 米寿と干支一回りも　休まねで動でだ 我家の爺っこの時計っこ 我家の爺　赤ん坊で　世間に出た朝間 誰だがやら買ってきた時計だもんだどや 今だば　まんずさっぱり　動がねぐなったもんだ 何となってしまったもんだ　時計っこ 米寿と干支一回りも チクタク　チクタク… 我家の爺とふとじみでにして チクタク　チクタク… 今だば　まんずさっぱり 動がねぐなったもんだ 何となってしまったもんだ　時計っこ …婆も来い　母も来い もんぺとクワ　忘れねで来い 田さ落ちればジャボン　冷やっけで濡れたズボン 気付けで来い　歌うあんて来い… 何だどて覚べでるもんだどや 古くせ時計っこだども 我家の爺っこの時計っこ めんけ事　三国一の嫁　我の家さ来た時だて 目出度い日だだて　動でだ 笑うえんた事　涙でるえんた事 みんな覚えでる時計だもんだのに 今だば　まんずさっぱり　動がねぐなったもんだ 何となってしまったもんだ　時計っこ 米寿と干支一回りも チクタク　チクタク… 我家の爺とふとじみでにして チクタク　チクタク… 今だば　まんずさっぱり 動がねぐなったもんだ 何となってしまったもんだ　時計っこ Um　時計っこ

• 专辑：大きな古時計(ZuZuバージョン)
• 歌手：伊藤秀志
• 歌曲：大きな古時計 (ZuZuバージョン)

  My new years resolution is to write a new phrase every weekend regular as  clockwork. 2015 was very busy and unpredictable.  I got way behind on both my blog and phrase of the week.  Here's hoping 2016 holds no big surprises, and is as regular as clockwork. Regular as clockwork: Cliché very regular; completely predictable. (*Also: as ~.) George goes down to the bus stop at 7:45 every morning, as regular as clockwork. You can always depend on Nancy to complain about the office for fifteen minutes every afternoon, regular as clockwork.   McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

With the new school year and my new classes starting, I've gotten behind again.  Here we go.   Thanks to you, I was able to fill all my new classes! Thanks to you, the Tohoku Rokkon Festival was a huge success. So, finally: Thanks to you this year looks like it will be a wonderful year.  

April fool's???

On April Fool's Day, my mother's tulips were covered with snow!

Is this someone's joke?

I will be going to America at the end of the  month to visit my family, especially my father who has not been doing well lately. So, let's learn about family comparisons.

                             My Father, Me, My Mother. 　Long, long ago . . .