Ekiden Race in Tochigi Prefecture

The Tochigi Ekiden race was held today.
An Ekiden, usually referred to as a marathon relay, is a long-distance road race relay. Twenty-seven teams took part in the race. They ran between Utsunomiya city and Tochigi city about thirty kilometers distance.

Each team has ten members including junior high students, high school students, college students and office workers, both men and women. Those team members were chosen by local cities in Tochigi prefecture.

My younger daughter Rina had been chosen as a reserve member of the Utsunoiya city team and practiced for the race several times.
Rina got up early today and went to the 7th part of the racing course. Two hours after Rina left home, I went to the starting place, Tochigi prefectural office.
First runners of the race were female junior high school students. They ran so fast that I could take only 10 seconds video and two pictures.
Rina told me that she wanted to be chosen as a regular team member, not a reserve.
I hope someday her dream will come true.

Day of Taking a Rest

I have spent this weekend just relaxing. I stayed home all day long today. One thing I did today is downloading a “.gif file editor” and made several animation files with pictures I took these days. I wanted to show some of them, but the quality is not good enough to show. So, I can't show you.
It’s totally unproductive day today.

I’ve been suffering from wrist pain since the end of last December. I twisted while playing tennis at the local tennis tournament.
I think today is a good rest for me.
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Five Fact Tag Game on YouTube

There is a “Five Fact Tag Game” or a “Random 5 Facts Game” on YouTube.
It’s like a video chain mail.
The rule is simple.
If you have been tagged or asked by someone, you are supposed to say five random facts about yourself on a video. Then, you upload the video on YouTube. When making a video or after uploading the video, you tag or ask five more people. If you don’t want to do it, it’s OK not to accept it. The game does not have a malicious intention.
I got tagged about ten days ago. I accepted it and made a video yesterday. It was my first attempt to make a video of myself.
It was tough job but I enjoyed making it. Please take a look.

2008 New Year's Card

I had made three 2008 New Year's Cards last month and sent them by mail.
Please take a look. :-)

#1
Up, Left: Emi wears Yukata.
Up, 2nd from the left: Rina attends truck and field competitions.
Up, 3rd from the left: Emi is in Nara on Junior High excursion.
Up, Right: Rina plays tennis.
Down: Monument Valley in Arizona.


#2
Down, Left: Grand Canyon, Arizona.
Down, Right: Disney Land, Anaheim.


#3
Down, Left: Moqui Dugway, Utah.
Down, Right: Rina attends a Junior High Entrance Ceremony.

Happy New Year! From Utsunomiya

A Happy New Year.
How do you guys spend your holidays? I have stayed in Utsunomiya and been relaxed since Dec. 29, 2007. I sleep more than eight hours a day, eat a lot of junk foods and spend long hours lazily.

I usually go on a trip if I have enough days off. Why have I stayed home during this vacation?
Since Emi, one of my daughters, has to take an entrance exam to a high school on this coming January 6th. For preparing the entrance exam, she has classes in a cram school during this winter vacation except January 1st.

One of my colleagues from Osaka who has a son of the same age also spends this holiday season in Utsunomiya because of his son’s entrance exam. Many Japanese spend New Year's holiday in their hometown, but most families having examinee(s) are the exceptions.

On January 1st, the day Emi didn’t have a class, we went to Fukudaya department store to buy Fukubukuro (Japanese: 福袋, lucky bag, mystery bag).
Buying Fukubukuro is a Japanese New Year's Day custom. Shop owners make bags filled with random contents and sell them for a substantial discount, usually 50% or more of the list price of the items. My family members except me like buying Fukubukuro very much. Buying Fukubukuro was the only pastime of this New Year’s vacation for them, especially for Emi.

Today, on January second, I went to a gym to exercise and to attend a Yoga lesson. It was good for my loosened body. I check my weight and found myself 2 Kg heavier than usual. I’ll resume working on January 8th. I may gain more if I continue spending days without any exercise. lol