Some pictures from last winter, November 2025 - January 2026

Mt. Fuji from Shichirigahama, Kamakura

Some of the pictures that I have taken at Kamakura, particularly near Shichirigahama Station. I would like to take pictures of the sunset from this area, however, in the afternoon, tourists would crowd this place, and I am also in a hurry to go home. Perhaps some other time.

Mt. Fuji with its usual “winter cap.”

Every morning during this season, when I stop at this place, I would often see this bird. I don't know whether it is the same or a different bird. I always see this bird waiting on the shore. The surf would carry some small fish towards the shore and this bird would have its hearty breakfast. It is also always alone! I haven't seen any other bird of this kind around or nearby.

I love the reflection of the bird after the waves sweep to the shore then goes back to the sea. It creates a clear, momentary mirror.

 

 It has been a year since my last blog. I really want to write and there are a lot of things in my mind. I have this strong urge to write them down, but procrastination is always there.

I will start again. One. Short. Blog… at a time.

Well, here it is. Let’s start with these.

These pictures were taken last winter, but already in 2026. I will post more of those pictures when I can connect to a better Wi-Fi.

I am also using this new browser, Zen browser https://zen-browser.app/. Yes, it is my namesake. It looks so clean and simple. I will experiment on it for a bit, feel my way through it.

So, that is all for today. Crossing me fingers and toes procrastination won’t drag me. ^.^

A close and real encounter

😁 https://www.facebook.com/555124414/posts/pfbid0auN1nfUmUurXu8wqS1tXUWMyMs8zfoYHkNmvZuZiNh5LeL3oCeAh47fwViAihDTjl/?

The link is from my original post on Facebook republished for blogger post.

 This is too precious not to share, it might be a bit long, but here it goes.😁😅😎

I finally was able to meet in the flesh, out in the wild, some entitled, dimwitted, one-celled creature from the land of the free and the home of the brave. How did I know where they were from? These nitwits got their names and address plastered boldly on their luggage, and a confederate flag sticker on one of the pieces of luggage, which was, by the way, very bright orange.

Anyway, I just arrived on this train platform waiting for my transfer train. As I had run from another platform yet missed the previous train, I was sweating profusely. The weather today was also warm, sweltering already.🥵 So I decided to get a cool refreshment. I saw an ice cream vending machine. Perfect! I chose my ice cream and hurriedly peeled the packaging and proceeded to take a bite of the cold treat. I enjoyed that first bite; the chocolate and wafer coating was still crunchy. I am still in the process of chewing; I did not even have my second bite when suddenly somebody tapped on my back, or shall I say, a claw was poking my back. I was still about to turn when I heard this high-pitched voice, I assume that was the natural voice of these cretins, irritating at that, and would even make a banshee's wail sound like music to your ear, asking me, "Do you speak and understand English?" When I was fully about-faced, there in front of me the organism of fantasy, I was face to face with this speck which I had only seen on social media or TV. I was surprised to see that she was a tad shorter than me, so, literally, I was looking down at her. My answer was affirmative to her query as I took my second bite of the cold afternoon delight - Oh, this was not a euphemism - it was truly a delight in the midst of this rising temperature. I heard a "grrrr"; this maggot can growl! She then pointed at me, angrily asked, "Do you mind?" Naturally, I was confused with that. "Mind what?" I shoot back. The shrill voice spoke again, "Do you mind not eating your ice cream in front of my kids!? We never feed them between meals, and now you are eating in front of them. YOU,"  pointing her ghoulish finger at me again, shaking, "YOU are ruining their appetite!" I looked around to find those children. There I saw behind her a slender, lanky man, as slender and lanky as a pole. More like a cross between Gollum and the Slender Man. Accompanying him were three doe-eyed creatures as lanky as the man, arms and legs like twigs; Baby Groot would look bigger beside them. I continued munching my chocolate wafer ice cream while I looked up to the lanky guy then looked down to this blonde shrub.

"Surely, madam, I will stop eating, but that will be right after I get my second ice cream! There's a chocolate mint ice cream in there waiting for me." She then huffed and puffed, turned her head to look up to SlenderGollum Man, probably asking for support. Another surprise for me because from this line drawing came a booming voice, not deep but a high pitch one that sounded like perpetual gargling. He said, "You're a rude Jap! You're not allowed to eat in public!" "So, get rid of this vending machine then," I replied. He stepped forward; it was here I saw the orange luggage he was carrying behind together with his gaunt tadpoles. "Just do me a favour, will you? Don't show any food in front of my kids!" "Cover this vending machine then if you can't get rid of it. It's in full view of your kits. (Yes, I said "kits" ^.^😎) I can get all the ice cream I want plus, you did not give me any rule book, or statute or even a memo for that matter that I can't be within the sight of your runts there when they're in between meals." He balled his hand and fingers into a fist and actually stomped his feet. I then finally heard the infamous line uttered by the hag, "You're so rude, you have no consideration, I will call the person in charge here, or the police, or the train station manager." "You do that, lady, it will surely make my day and I hope some people around are taking a video of this. But maybe next time, I've got to run; my train is here and my ice cream is melting." I ran towards the sunset, to the waiting train crowded with commuters, away from that weird and crazy, hopefully once-in-a-lifetime experience.🤣🍻😂😎🤘 That was Monday.

Raw and unedited series on my way to work 1 (Kamakura, Kanagawa, Japan)

One of the public high schools I teach is located in Kamakura. I usually get off at a train station one stop before my usual station. This is my view while walking towards the school.

 Mt.Fuji showed up after a few days of rain, sans the snowcap. Warm days ahead.

The poppy (I think) beauty ^.^

                                                                      

                              

Spring is peeking, it is still a cold February. Some areas in Japan are covered in snow. Well, let’s talk about this flower. This type of flower grows in spring time even towards summer time. They grow wild and they grow everywhere, from pavement cracks, the crevices on concrete walls, just anywhere.

I liked this flower so much. It is some kind of a poppy, I’m not sure what kind but I used to like it. Maybe I shouldn’t use the past tense, I still like it! I love its colour. It reminds me of the corals. When the wind blows it dances with the wind displaying its vibrant colour. A proud flower as it can be… then I learnt something about this flower, something close to being sinister. 

One spring/summer day when I went to the kindergarten where my daughter attends this particular flower is at its abundance like decors along the pathway. I so admired its beauty. When I went inside the school a picture of this dainty flower greeted me on their bulletin board. Lovely! Then I used my google translate to check what information they provided about this flower. I want to know more about my favourite flower in Japan.

The information shocked me. It turned out it was an advisory, a warning to parents not to let their children touch or get in contact with this particular flower. Attractive it may seem but this flower can cause itchiness that leads to rashes! Similar to a poison ivy, I guess. I usually picked this up, take a close-up picture, admire its beauty, and I even handed it to my daughter.

The price of beauty probably. Maybe the flower just wanted to be left alone and be admired from a distance. The rose has thorns yet people continue to handle it. I haven’t experienced any rashes yet nor my daughter when we picked this flower. I pray we won’t.

This is still my favourite seasonal flower. The one I always look forward to. It is like a promise. The Little Prince has his rose on his planet, I have this fleeting beauty from spring to summer on this planet, the blue sphere called Earth.

 

米津玄師 - 海の幽霊 Kenshi Yonezu - Spirits of the Sea

"星が降る夜に　あなたにあえた

あの夜を忘れはしない

大切なことは　言葉にならない

夏の日に起きたすべて

 

思いがけず　光るのは

海の幽霊"

When summer comes, I longed for the sea. I miss the salty sea. I was born in the sea. I thought I could survive anywhere. I guess I did, but my body is longing for the sea, the saltiness of the sea, the feeling of being free when floating. It is the closest of flying when you are floating and swimming in the sea.

The spirits of the sea is summoning me.

EIKEN P-1 Vocabulary crossword

This is first of the series. More to come...if I don't feel lazy or something.^.^

-copyright to the owner of the Ghibli image from "Howl's Moving Castle"

ARTICLES: a/an, the, no or zero article

A lot of English language learners are confused in using the articles. Here are some few things to remember:

a/an

We use a/an with singular countable nouns:

1 the first time you mention a thing / person.
- I saw an old man with a dog.

2 when you say what something is or what somebody does.
- It's a nice house.
- He is a teacher.

3 in exclamation with What...!
- What an awful day!

4 in expressions of frequency
- I have classes three times a week.


the

We use the:

1 when we talk about something we've already mentioned.
- I saw an old man and a dog.
The dog was barking.

2 when it's clear what you're referring to.
- My classmate opened the door.
- The children are at school.

3 when there's only one of something.
- The moon goes around the Earth.

4 with places in a town, (for example: movies and theater.)
- I'm going to the movies tonight.

5 with superlatives.
- It's the best restaurant in town.


no or zero article

We don't use an article:
1 when we are speaking in general (with plural and uncountable nouns).
     Compare:
     I love flowers. (= flowers in general)
     I love the flowers in my garden. ( = the specific flowers in my garden)
- Women usually talk more than men.
- Love is more important than money.

2 with some nouns, (for example: home, work, school) after at / to / from.
- She's not at home today.
- I get back from work at 5:30.

3 before meals, days, and months.
- I never have breakfast.

4 before next / last + day, week, etc.
- See you next Friday.


😎

adapted from GRAMMAR BANK p.137 English File (Intermediate) LATHAM-KOENIG, OXENDEN 
Oxford University Press

Answers to the passage "SHARK ATTACK"

41. 3 there have been two serious shark attacks on people off Maui.

42. 2 Because the sea conditions were very dangerous.

43. 4 because she bled a lot and couldn't get first-aid treatment.

44. 3 Sharks attracted by the births like to eat baby whales.

45. 3 because sharks have weak eyesight and low intelligence.

Vocabularies:

- Maui ( (/ˈmaʊ.i/; Hawaiian: [ˈmɐwwi]) - the second largest island of the Hawaiian islands.

- whether or not - used when someone does not know which of two possibilities is true.

Example: I still don't know whether or not I'm going back to school. I want more holidays.

- unavoidable (adj.) - impossible to stop from happening; something you can't avoid.

- yard (noun) - a unit of measurement. There are 3 feet in a yard. One yard is equal to 0.91 metres.

Learning English

I will be updating my blog in a couple of days. I am going to redesign it for students who are learning English, especially to my students in Seirinkan HS. Have fun reading!

a couple of days - "a couple" literally means TWO, but when used as a context, like in this sentence, it could mean a period of 2 days to 5 days. (It really depends if I am lazy or not.^.^)

Absent!

Wow! My writing skills have gone down! Almost a year without writing anything. No excuse about it.I just became lazy.Now, i have to shake the dust, get rid the rust in my brain and go back into writing again. It's therapy after all.hehehe! ^.^
For those who bothered to read this, aside from meself, I'm going to have a guest writer soon. Do wait for it.

Of memories and falling in love...^.^

Falling in love improves your memory, restores the nervous system & relieves stress.
— iTweetFacts™ (@iTweetFacts) December 3, 2013

My memory could be really good now because I fall in love with my Satomi-langga everyday.^.^

"Love said, 'Lie still and think of me'. Sleep said, 'Close your eyes till break of day'. But Dreams came by, and smilingly gave both to Love and Sleep their way." Sara Teasdale

“I believe a soulmate is someone with whom you share a deep and profound connection and feel that you can completely be yourself. Someone you love unconditionally, and who loves you unconditionally, and when you look into their eyes you have the experience of being at “home.” ” ~Arielle Ford

Have I found my soulmate? I believe I have! She lives across the Pacific,far from me but I felt the connection with her. Receiving her hug really felt that I am "home." She is my home and I will go home to her.
Will we grow old together? I would like to see that. I will leave everything to her. In my part, I am very sure already that she's the one for me.

Seeing about a girl.

• I had to see about a girl.

  I will cross the miles in order to be with her. 

  I guess every man on this Earth will do the same thing that I have done when they meet their special someone. Anything and everything can be done so you can be with your girl.
  My story with this girl is a fairy tale in its own way. There may not faeries involved, but the girl I have is a princess! So,when she asked me to be with her somewhere far from where I am,if there was a flying carpet or the dragonballs cloud, I flew to her right away. People asked me why I'm doing this...it is because I love her!^.^
  This special girl for me is my match in every way. I guess even better. I'm sure her sense of humour and patience is way much better than mine. I want to be with her all the time.
  I went to see about this girl not knowing the future would be, but then I asked her to marry me! A very exciting future it is going to be.^.^

On Missing

miss - v.tr. - To feel the lack or loss of... ex. Do you miss your family?

I have never missed someone so much in my life...alive,that is. I missed my grandparents so much. They went to some place that I can't follow. Well,at least not yet. Maybe I was really designed differently. I lack the real emotions that the regular humans would feel. I think differently. I wonder who taught me that.

And now,here comes this girl. I even barely know her, but I am head over heels on her. Let's get this straight, I am in love with her. There's no "why's", "how's", I just know and I just feel it...and I miss her.

Let me try to explain the feeling...it felt that if I can't see or hold her,I feel empty. I felt that for the first time when I didn't see her...it was a weekend,she didn't go to school. I felt empty yet something inside me felt like it is being squeezed...hard! If I don't see her,I always look forward for the next day because I will have that chance to be with her. I will say this again and again...she completes me.

I don't usually show my feelings but I want it to me known that I miss her...I miss my CAT. If anyone who has the chance to read this and knows my CAT,please tell her that I miss hear and I only miss her when I breathe and that my love for her is true and so shall I remain with my CAT.

Do I feel that I miss someone? Yes! I feel the lack of something or someone important and so dear to me. So let it be known that I do feel missing someone...missing my CAT.^.^

The CAT who took my heart

I am not writing here a book on Dr. Seuss, I love his books though,for the record and I grew up with it.
This is about a person,a girl,to be exact,who wanted to be known as "CAT."
I've met her in the last quarter of 2012. I can really say that on that day, it was really special. Everyday is special indeed, but that day was extra special. She walked in the room and into my life...and like a cat, she walked in with style. She was the only one that got my attention! There were many who entered a building and for me it is just another person,well,she's not! Like I said, she's got my attention. From then on, I learned how to pray and learnt that I've got a heart that beats like a drum! I've never thought that it was there inside the hollow cavity in my body. It leapt when CAT was in sight.
I wasn't expecting anything,not expecting that I would fall so hard. Call me a fool but I heard someone said that when one is in love,everybody is a fool,there's no exception to the rule.
The very first thing I noticed about her was her smile and when she smiles, you can see those cute dimples on her face. That smile makes my knees shake. I don't know why.
I've got the chance to stand next to her and for the first time in my life, I can't think straight. Maybe this is how a teenager felt the first time they fell in love. Honestly,I didn't ever feel such a thing. From that moment,my brain and heart agreed, "It is her...or be alone." How can I be so sure about it? The future is sure, I will just do what I can today.
I was always waiting for an opportunity but if I won't do anything, nothing would ever happen...then she left. Again,the only time in my life that I regretted so much. I had some regrets in my life but not as big as this. I should have done something, I should have, at the very least, talk to her and know a little bit about her.
My hopes went high when I learned that she is coming back. This time, I will be ready. This time I will seize that chance...this time, I will...and I'm very nervous again. She isn't even back yet.
Then,she was back and this time I made sure that I will have the chance to talk to her. Luck was on my side, I was given the best opportunity to talk to her. I was assigned to be in her class because her teacher was absent. I should thank that teacher. I did my best to be her teacher that time and despite the nervousness, I think I made it through without losing my mind,though it almost came to a point. She's so cute!!! But I have to be professional. I'm at work and I shall give her my best. It was then when she asked what I usually do in my free time. This is my chance! I told her what I do and casually asked her if she would like to join. When she said she'd like to go with me, I'm in a new world. She just didn't know how happy she made me that day. So that's how it started that I fell in love with CAT and she took my heart with her.
2012 was about to end and I am not really into celebrating new year. For me it is always the same,but this is not the same. Maybe I will have the chance to spend a new year's eve with someone special. I took the chance to ask her out when she said that she wanted to wear a dress and have dinner. So I invited her that we will have a dinner together and that she can wear a dress. That made me really excited and for the first time in my life,I was a nervous wreck.
New Year's eve came and we planned to go to a mountain area where you can observe the fireworks. It was really good that I took her there,of all my new years, 2013 was the best. We stayed there until the morning to watch the new year's sunrise and it was a new sunrise for me as well. Here is a girl with me,who I think is extra-ordinary. I am sure she won't agree,but she can't see what I see.
My 2013 started very great,even if I don't really follow time. I have all the time in the world with my CAT. With her,it is always "one more day." One more day to be with her even if she is away. One more day that I can be with her. One more day that I can give my love to her...one more day that I give myself and everything else to her. It is to be with CAT or be alone with a cat.
I am going to keep her and I will take care of my CAT. I will make her happy and share my happiness with her. I have nothing else to ask in this world. I have my CAT...Mix-chan, Nakajima Satomi. I love her and I love her every moment. I love her wherever she may be. I love her because I am at home in her embrace, I love her because I kept on falling in love with her. I have the whole future ahead to know her more and to love her more. Indeed,she is my happiness.
CAT took my heart and I am letting her keep it.

This is my CAT with her cat.^.^

2013

Hello 2013!!! 
If I have to follow the norms of the society then I have to greet everyone a HAPPY NEW YEAR! I also wish that everyone is going to have a great year ahead of them. Following time again, my 2013 started really great! Unlike my start of 2012, it was a lonely one. 2012 for me ended with a bang and 2013 started even with a bigger bang! And, I didn't have to celebrate the new year alone. It was a great start of the year.
As they say, "Every beginning has an end, but every end is a new beginning." My 2012 began as a dud, but ended up great so I face 2013 with a greater expectation. I know that it will end,but I have high hope for the beginning and end cycle.
For 2013, I have to thank "CAT." She made everything great. Will it end what we began? Yes! Definitely! I will end up with her. How can I be so sure about it? Because in the end,the very last of it, I am going to be there.

Running

I used to run all the time. During my elementary school days, I run all the time from my house going to school. That's more than 1 kilometre away. I would run along with my friends,then let some dogs run after us and run along with speeding buses,just feeling free and light.
I would even run barefooted. We even prefer to run barefooted. We believed that we can run faster without flip-flops. More grip on the ground, I guess.
I want to do that again. I can't remember when did I stop running barefooted or running itself for that matter. I think I just got out of shape. I've joined some fun runs before and even joined a full marathon once but nothing compares when you just run for no reason. You run because others are running. You run because you want to be faster. You run because you just want to feel the breeze and the rush of adrenalin, you run because it is real fun. "Fun runs" they say? A lot of that being organised and marathons and all other running events, but where's the real fun there? You have to pay for it. Why should I pay for that? Where's the real fun in it? I can't run barefoot any more. It is painful already. Why I can't feel the pain before? Maybe I just didn't care that time. Just run like the wind. Run because it is faster. I want to do that again. Free run, the real fun run, the pebbles,sand,grass and everything under my bare feet. Feeling the wind on my face and maybe some scrape on the knees.
I'm out of shape, but I think it is not yet late. I've read that there's someone who is even over 80 and still join some marathon. I can do that feat. I have all the time in the world. I am just plain lazy. Gotta run!

What's the weather like?

I'm no weatherman so I can't really tell how the weather would be,at least I can predict what is going to happen even without weather instruments...that was before. You see a dark cloud,you'll know the rain will come,for sure! BUT these days!!! I don't know what's going on.
From before, I can stay under the sun even at its hottest. I practise swimming under the big hot sun from 11am to 2am. That was before...now,I can't stand the heat even if it is still 8am!!!
Is the world getting hotter or my skin is getting more sensitive?
Oh,and when it rains,5minute rain,the streets will become rivers. It could be because the rivers became streets...or maybe the land itself is sinking...hmmm...i wonder.
What's the weather like from where I am? I can't say because it was very hot when I woke up this morning and the sun was so bright! I thought I woke up late,it just that the sun shone early and so bright. Now,on writing this,dark clouds are forming but it is still very hot. Maybe this evening it might rain again...and I just had the car washed!
The good thing about it is that I like rain and I like it when it rains around midday. When it stops and the sun comes out,you will get a huge sauna! The whole city feels like it is a sauna. 
Maybe the next time someone will ask me about the weather here in Cebu, my answer would be...sauna weather!^.^