令和4年3月31日

 

相変わらず早朝は肌寒い。連日の天候不順により桜の盛りは過ぎてしまったようだ。満開のピンクの花びらにまぎれて葉の緑が目立つ桜の樹々。できれば花ぴらが満開の状態のスペイン坂を訪れたかったのに。誠に残念な光景である。

このところ2GBの容量制限により通信不良を起こしていた我がスマートフォン。今朝は何故か調子よく通信をしている。容量は0GBなのに何故だろうか？

以前より気になっていたスマホの指紋認証の読み取り不良のトラブル。指紋認証が出来ないため毎回毎回4桁のPINを入力するのがすごく面倒だ。
何か情報はないかと思いWEBで検索したところ、案の定不具合の情報がすぐに見つかった。無償修理が可能なようだ。とはいえまだ購入後1年未満だから保証修理の有効期限ではあるけれど。
修理はいいのだが、毎日使うデバイスなので修理期間中に利用できなくなるは困ってしまう。
おおよそ修理預かり期間は10日前後が相場だろう。その期間はなんとか古い端末でしのぐことが出来るだろうか。ELSAは通信が必要なためスマホが必須。しかしリーディングはオフライでもできるので10インチのタブレット併用で乗り切ることが出来ないか検討が必要だ。

土日の早朝はいつも在宅なのだが。少し変化が欲しい。平日どおりに電車にのって日比谷公園まで遠出をしたらどうだろうか。電車に乗りながら英語のリーディングを毎日しているので土日もこのペースを崩したくない。
何故だか電車に乗車中はリーディングがはかどる。目的地の日比谷公園でELSAで発声のエクササイズをすれば、ほぼ平時のペースを崩さないで済む。コーヒーとお菓子をもって出かけるのもなんだかウキウキするし、折角購入している定期券のコストパフォーマンスもよくなる。家にいたほうが楽ではあるが、新しい習慣にできるかどうか、明日チャレンジしてみたいと思う。

本日3月31日。週末と月末と年度末が同時にやってきた。。今は会社にいる。残り8時間がんばれば仕事から解放される。早く家に帰りたい。

最近、はまっている画像生成AI。グラフィックボードのVRAMが多いと処理が早くなる。最低４GB必要だそうだ。2年前に購入した我がPCは一応はゲーミングPCである。しかしメモリがいくつ搭載しているか理解しておらず。この際なのでPCのグラフィックボードのメモリが幾つあるのか調べてみた。どうやら６GBのようである。AIで画像を生成するには問題のない性能ではあるが、ちと物足りない。サンプル画像を用いてAIに学習をさせたいのだが、このためには15GB程度のメモリが必要だそうだ。一生ものの趣味だと考えているので、多少のコストは我慢してビデオカードのグレードアップをしたいと思っている。早速ネットで検索すると5万円台の製品が周流である。高いなー、お金がないからすぐには購入できないかもだ。

令和4年3月30日

昨日からの雨で朝は、やや曇り空で地面は雨でぬれている。以前ほどではないが朝は少し肌寒い。ただし東京の最高予想気温は20度を超えるとのこと。寒さはちょっと我慢してジャケットをはおり本日は通勤だ。 

最近、気になっていたのだが、以前と比べて電車がとても混雑している。パンデミック騒ぎが下火になったせいだろうけど、喉元過ぎればなんとやら。すっかり以前の東京の通勤風景に戻ってしまったようだ。働き方改革の一環であるリモートワークを推進する折角の大チャンスなのに、オンサイト勤務にこだわる頭が固くで古い保守的な経営者ばかりなのだろうか。時代に逆行している日本人社会の変革のなさに辟易する。

今回のパンデミックは世界中に大きな混乱をもたらしたが、唯一、通勤電車の混雑が解消されたことは大きなメリットであった。とくに私のように大都市に済み、しかもリモートワークの適用から問答無用に除外されている存在にとっては特にである。
今後も政府や大都市の自治体はリモートワークを推進するべきだと思う。そうしなければ首都圏、大都市圏の人口集中や交通渋滞を緩和する手段はないのではないか。

いかに機嫌よく一日を過ごすかが私のミッションだ。しかしながら自分で自分の機嫌を取ることは頭で考える以上に難しい。ちょっとしたきっかけであっというまに不機嫌の虫が起きてくるのだ。

機嫌をよくするにはどうしたらよいのだろうか？本日、通勤中に閃いたことがある。

質問：あなたはどちらかを選ぶ自由がある。一日中考えるとしたらどちらを選びますか。
A、可愛い子供、動物、美しい花々など
B　汚物、ゴミなど

答えは明らかである。不機嫌な気分を持続することはBを選択しているのと同じことだ。嫌なことがあっても意識してAを選択できる自分でになりたい。

もうすぐ4月だ。最近、スマホの通信速度が遅くて困っている。もしかすると月末近くなので通信容量の制限なのかも。毎朝、通勤前に外出先のテラス席でELSAを使用し発音矯正の練習に取り組んでいるのに、全く通信ができない。アプリは通信必須のためエクササイズができなくて困っている。本日は全く通信できず。エクササイズをあきらめた。
場所には無料のWi-Fi環境もあるにはあるのだが、接続しても全くお話にならないほど通信スピードが出ないのだ。
何故、通信しないのだろうかと原因がわからず困っていた。
仕方がないのでWEBで契約内容を調べるた。案の定、データ通信制限に該当しており容量が0GBだ。ちなみに契約容量は2GBだ。最近、通信をよく利用するようになったせいで、容量が若干足りないらしい。
このため本日、契約プランを倍の4GBに変更した。容量ば倍だになるのに、請求額は100円程度しか変わらないのだ。

孤独な生活を送っていると死亡率が約26%程度上昇するとの研究結果があるそうだ。この話はChatGPTから引き出した情報なので、少し怪しい面はある。最初は高い死亡リスクに驚いたのだが、よくよく考えていると孤独に長生きするほうが不幸なことではないか。孤独なのであればとっとと早死にしたほうが幸せではないか。そのように天が采配しているのだと思えば別に不幸なことではないとの考えに落ち着いた。
私は友人も恋人がいない。多分、今後も出来ないだろう。家族は老齢の母と兄一家。兄一家は他人みたいなもので母が存命であればこそのつきあいだ。今後は疎遠になると思う。独りで生きていくことに不安はあるが自分が選んだ道なので仕方がない。
早死にしたいとは思わないが無駄に長生きするのもそれはそれで辛いはずだ。生まれて以上は死ななければならない。需要は天命なので仕方がない。人生100年時代というが、そんなに生きてどうするのか。経済的に恵まれない老人だらけの社会がまともに機能するのか。人は遅かれ早かれいつか死ぬ。1日1日という一区切りを悔いのないように生きられたらそれでよい。

Doaxvv 今週のトレンドガチャ

 今日3月29日はDoaxvvのアップデートの日である。

今回のトレンドコーデガチャは「シークレットクラス」。

対象のビーナスは女天狗、パティ、エレナの3名のみだ。

なんだかちょっと地味な気がする。

しかし、今回のフェスでルーレットが再登場だ。

ルーレットは有用なアイテムをゲットするチャンスなので、いつも以上にフェスに力を入れるべきときである。

というわけでトレンドコーデガチャは、どうしても2名分欲しい。

最低でも1名分は欲しいと思いながら、いつものごとくガチャを回す。

すると、なんと連続でＳＳＲをゲットできた。なんだかラッキーすぎて、運営大丈夫かと余計な心配をするレベルの引きのよさである。

1着目は女天狗。

女天狗

2着目はパティだ。パティはアホ毛がデザインされている唯一のキャラである。

パティ  

    

フェスはペア2名がトレンドコーデを着用していれば最終戦まで確実にクリアできるのである。

また、高揚のない普通のガチャでモニカ用のＳＳＲも当たってしまった。

モニカ

私の推しはたまきだが、モニカもお気に入りだ。推しの2ndポジションである。

残念ながら、今回のガチャにたまきのＳＳＲはない。

これだけの記事だと寂しいので、公式のツイッターを埋め込んでおく。

ローズマリーの有償ガチャ衣装が登場だ。

とても可愛いと思うのだが、私は遠慮しておこう。お金がないからなー。

／
「マリー・ローズ」
トゥルーカラーアップデート記念
フォロー&RTキャンペーン✨
＼

"#相沢舞 さんサイン色紙"
"特製クリアファイル"が当たる🎁

▼応募方法
①@doax_vv_staffフォロー
②この投稿をRT

今ならログインで
5,000Vストーン&SSR水着2枚ゲットできるよ🏖#DOAXVV

— DOAX VenusVacation公式 (@doax_vv_staff) March 29, 2023

ジェネレーティブAI「stable diffusion」で画像生成中

 最近、Stable Diffusionという画像生成AIを使用した画像の生成にはまっている。

意図した構図やキャラクターの通りに画像を作成するのは非常に難しいのだが、なんでもよければAI任せで期待以上の華麗な作品が出来上がってしまうのだ。

絵が描けない従来の私の画像の楽しみ方といえば、WEB上の既存の画像をダウンロードし眺めることに限られていた。しかし画像生成AIの導入により収集せずとも自身で画像を大量生成できるようになった。AIが作成した画像を眺めるのはとても楽しいのだ。もちろん従来通り、他者の作成した画像をWEBで眺めることにも支障は出ない。

画像生成AIについての情報はWEB上にあふれているが、私が参考にしているサイトは

Gigazineである。

GigazineはITやアニメ、ゲームなどの国内外の多様で幅広い情報を配信している巨大なニュースサイト（ブログ）である。

画像生成AIの導入や設定は素人にはハードルが高いのだが、Gigazineより有用な情報が多数提供されているので、とても助かっている。

AIが生成した画像が多数公開されている。どの作品もどうやって描いたんだろう？と思うほど見応え抜群の作品ばかりだ。

サイトによってはその画像を生成したときのプロンプトや設定を公開しているので、その情報をStable Diffusionに流用してみるものの、見本のような画像を生成することが出来ない。

同じプロンプトと設定を流用しても、全く同じ画像が生成されないのは中々に不思議なことだ。ちょっと調べた限りではAIの学習状態が、ユーザーのツールにより異なることが原因のようである。

ちなみにツールを使えば既存の作品のプロンプトを抽出することが可能だ。

この方法を使用することで、苦心の末、なんとか見本に近い作品を作る方法を見つけた。

画像を生成する方法には大きくわけて2つある。

１．テキストベース（プロンプト）

２．画像ベース

ツールを使いプロンプトと設定の情報を抽出し、１の方法で画像を生成すると、見本と同等の作品に近づくのだ。これは中々便利である。

また、プロンプトを詳細に記述するほうがより精緻な画像が生成されると思うのだが、実はそうでもない。

極めて少ない情報で、こんな画像がが生成されるのか？ということもある。

私が発見したプロンプトを参考として記す。

「OChaco uraraka,koei korikoshi,manga」

たったこれだけである。

このプロンプトで生成した画像がこれ。

Ochaco Uraraka

モデル（Stable Diffusionで設定することで作風を指定できる学習セット）の選択や各設定とネガティブプロンプトの設定により得られる結果は変わるが、おおむねこのクオリティの画像が生成されるのだから実に不思議なのである。

ちなみにこのキャラは「僕のヒーローアカデミア」というアニメに登場するキャラだ。

おそらくモデル（がこのキャラの情報を持っているので詳細な指定が不要なのだろうと想像する。

非常に優秀な画像生成AI。しかし欠点もある。解剖学的に見て人体がおかしな形状で描画されることが多い。特に顕著なのが指先の描画である。

特に指の描画に難がある。プロポーションや容貌はキレイに作画できても、指先がグロテスクというのはしばしば起きる現象だ。

対策としては指先を描画しないように指定するか、あるいは後から編集しなおすことだ。

もし画像編集ソフトを利用できるユーザーであれば、生成された画像を修正したりディティールアップが出来るので、よりクオリティーの高い作品として仕上げることが出来るだろう。

Stable Diffusionは無料で利用できる大変有意義なツールである。色々な設定を組み合わせることで得られる画像は、まさに無限にある。

ちなみに画像生成には有料のサービスもある。使用しているパソコンにグラフィックボードがなかったり、導入するのが面倒なユーザーはこれらを利用するのもよい。

Stable Diffusionに比較すると自由度はないが、決められた設定の範囲内でもアーティスティックな作品を手軽に作り出すことができるのだ。

絵というものは描いたり、塗ったりするものだと思っていたら、従来とは全く違う手法で画像を作成することが出来る時代になった。あえて「画像生成」という言葉を使っているが、画像生成AIが普及するのは時間の問題なので、近い将来、画像生成といわず絵を描くと表現するようになるのは時間の問題だろう。

これは一生ものの趣味になるのではないかと確信している。

毎日、毎日大量の画像を作成するため大容量のストレージは必須である。私は、Googleドライブの容量を拡張し、ローカルの保存先フォルダと同期させている。この方法で外出先でも作成した画像を手軽に閲覧することが出来る。有料ではあるがとても便利である。

より作業スピードをあげるために高性能なグラフィックボードを導入するのもいいかもしれないと感じるこのごろである。

3月29日

 もうすぐ4月である。気温はどんどん温かくなっているといいたいところであるが、東京はここ最近雨ばかり降っている。3月は雨が降ると気温がぐっと下がるのが常である。このため日中は温かいのであるが、朝晩はまだまだ寒く、衣替えが出来ずにいる。

ここ最近、睡眠不足の症状が悪化している。とくに通勤電車の居眠りが状態化しており英文多読の学習時間が大幅に減少している。本日現在で今月の多読の実績は前月ベースで61%まで落ち込んでいる。

今朝は早朝3時過ぎに目が覚めたまま眠れずに朝を迎えてしまった。このため行きの電車はずーっと寝落ちをしてしまった。日比谷駅の手前（大手町）で隣に座った女性がスマホを触っているので、興味本位に画面を覗き見た。すると画面にはアニメ調の美少女キャラがデカデカと表示され、ウマ娘をプレイしていることがすぐにわかった。人気があるとは聞いていた。しかし、実際に若い女性がプレイしているのを見たのは初めてのことであった。

以前から気になっていたIELTS対策のコンテンツ（ELSA用）を購入した。課金額は1740円である。英語を学習する上では具体的な目標があった方がよい。日本人にはTOEICが人気だが、高得点を取っていても英語ができない人が多いと言われている。リスニングとライティングしか対象にならないまさに試験のための試験だ。一方、スピーキング対策も必要な英検を重視する傾向もあるのだが、所詮、日本国内でしか通用しない試験である。英語はグローバルスタンダードの言語だ。なのに国内でしか通用しない試験に一体どのような意味があるのか理解できない。IELTSはグローバルスタンダードな試験である。このため海外でもこの試験の成績は通用する。

もちろん、難易度は高い。４技能全てを訓練する必要があり、CEFRでB1レベル以上の実力が必要である。受験料は2万円以上、目が飛び出るほど高額である。

しかしながら、受験をするかどうかは別にして、IELTSを受験するだけの実力がなければ英語を話せるようにはならない。このため、IELTSの試験対策を英語学習に取り入れることは意味があることであると考えている。

不機嫌であることは、悪であることはわかりきったことであるが、不機嫌になることは避けられない。問題なのは、一度不機嫌になったら、その状態を継続してしまうことである。よく考えてみよう。不機嫌でいることにメリットはあるだろうか？自分が不機嫌である状態で他人のためになることはあるだろうか。

答えはNOだ。

不機嫌になることは避けられないのだが、不機嫌な状態を継続することは自分の意志でコントロールできるはずである。自分の心の状態を健康な状態に回復する力のことをレジリエンスと呼ぶ。これからはレジリエンスを意識して、最低限でオーバーネガティブな気分をキープできるように、意識しよう。

グリッドマン ユニバース レビュー

舞台挨拶開始前のスクリーン映像

3月24日に封切りの映画「グリッドマン　ユニバース」。初日当日の19時より東京は日比谷のTOHOシネマにおいて声優と監督による舞台挨拶つきの上映会に私も足を運んできた。

参考URL：劇場版「グリッドマン ユニバース」公開記念初日舞台挨拶、雨宮哲監督はさらなるユニバースに意欲

さて、グリッドマンの舞台挨拶が行われたTOHOシネマ。これまで何度も来場している映画館である。しかしいつもの4階の劇場ではなく、地下1階にあるスクリーン12番で行われた。これまで地下にも劇場があることを知らなかったので、間違えて4階のゲートを通ろうとして止められてしまった。ちょっと恥ずかしい。

急いで地下のスクリーン12番に移動した。初めて来場したスクリーン12番の広さに驚いた。とにかく広い。

東京には大きな映画館がいくつもある。しかし私がこれまで来場した経験のある映画館と比べてもとびっきりの広さである。

実は舞台挨拶開始時間がよくわからず。19時とは書いてあるものの「上映開始前に舞台挨拶がある」との文言。これは19時上映で舞台挨拶は18時30分開始なんだと思い込んでしまった。実際は19時から舞台挨拶開始しそれが終了したら上映だった。

ちょっと考えすぎてしまった。このため30分前に劇場に入場したため、とっても広い映画館には空席が目立っていた。その時点ではまだ勘違いをしていたので、案外人がいないなと思ったが暫くして自分の勘違いに気が付くことが出来た。まー、遅刻するよりは余程よい。

時間が経過するとともに次第に人が増え始める。舞台挨拶開始時には、当然のごとく満員になっていた。暇だったので来場者の様子を眺めていた。いつもアニメ映画を見るときは男女の割合に関心を持っている。女性が多ければ多いほど、その作品は人気があるというのが私の持論である。

大雑把な印象だが来場者の6割強が男性。女性が4割弱かなーといった印象。これは私が思ってたよりもこの作品が人気がある根拠になる。

また日比谷というとても落ち着いた雰囲気の場所のせいか、来場する女性のアウトフィットはふんわりとしたお洒落な人が多かった。また友人や彼氏同伴の人よりも単独で来場する人が多かったのも印象的である。

"Stable Diffusion WebUI" Debut!

 March 21st, Tuesday, is a national holiday called "Spring Equinox Day." This day is one of the 24 solar terms, and it's a day when the length of day and night are almost the same.

Today, I woke up as usual, a little after 5 am, and have been practicing English pronunciation since this morning. I'm using the smartphone app "ELSA SPEAKING," which uses AI to accurately judge pronunciation, so I can correct my pronunciation on my own.

By pronouncing English correctly, it becomes easier to understand the English spoken by native speakers. I am using this method because it is said that training your speaking skills is effective in improving your listening skills.

One of the issues with Japanese people's English is their poor pronunciation. This is because Japanese pronunciation and English pronunciation are completely different, and speaking skills are not given much importance in school education.

I think that by training speaking and listening skills, it's possible to learn practical English more effectively.

Now, let's talk about the topic of AI image generation. Recently, I have been very interested in AI image generation and have tried various methods. However, some degree of knowledge is required to understand them, and sometimes it can be difficult to understand even when researching on the internet.

However, the other day, I finally succeeded in setting up the environment of a popular image-generating AI called "Stable Diffusion" on my computer. The name comes from the mathematical model of diffusion theory.

GUI of Stable Diffusion

To set up this environment, it is necessary to install a program environment called Python and an app called GIT, and run a batch file. Since the batch file runs on the DOS prompt, the progress is displayed in text format.

I didn't know the conditions for completing the installation, so I didn't know if the work was finished or not. Therefore, I misunderstood that the work had frozen and had to redo it many times. Also, it took me half a day to research how to solve the problem.

However, through trial and error, I gained knowledge and was finally able to generate images. I am now very satisfied.

By the way, I found a carefully explained video for beginners and would like to introduce it. 

日本一わかりやすいStableDiffusion WebUI AUTOMATIC1111(ローカル版)のインストール方法と基本的な使い方

I tried creating an image using "Stable Diffusion" and I am amazed at how wonderful the outcome is. Although I am an amateur, I think the images created by this AI are of such high quality that it is difficult to distinguish whether they were created by humans or not.

I had already been using the paid web service "FOTOR" to generate images. With FOTOR, anyone can easily create high-quality images. However, I was dissatisfied with the limited types of image models that could be generated and the long time it took to create images. Although there are ways to shorten the time, they require payment, so the service was not very user-friendly.

An image generated using FOTOR."

Theatrical compilation "SSSS.DYNAZENON

 

On March 18th, I watched the theater compilation version of "SSSS.DYNAZENON" at TOHO Cinema in Ikebukuro. 

Although it was disappointing that the main cast's episodes were significantly cut due to being a compilation, the structure allowed for a somewhat decent understanding of the story and setting. 

While there were many mysteries, they remained unsolved even when watching the TV series, indicating that it wasn't solely due to the compilation's editing. 

It had been a while since I last watched the show, but the direction quickly drew in the audience and provided a high level of immersion, especially with the unique scenes of the main cast appearing one after another from the beginning of the story and their distinctive ways of meeting each other. 

As it is a compilation, it is recommended to rewatch the TV series, so I had no intention of watching it, but I went to the theater for the sake of the special gift for visitors. Also, starting on March 24th, the movie version of "Gridman Universe" will be released. 

On that day, there will be a stage greeting by the main cast and director at TOHO Cinema in Hibiya, and I have already made a reservation. Usually, movies aimed at anime fans are shown in a limited number of theaters, but this work is known for being shown mainly at TOHO Cinema. It is a movie that is shown in many theaters and is also enjoyable for movie lovers who are not necessarily fans of anime.

Gridman Universe

Today, I will tell you about it right off the bat.

The movie version of "Gridman Universe" will be released on March 24.

It is still next week, but I am very excited and looking forward to it.

GRIDMAN UNIVERSE" is an original theatrical production that integrates both "SSSS.GRIDMAN," which aired in 2018, and "SSSS.DYNAZENON," which aired in 2021.

For more information, please check the official website.

Prior to the release of "Gridman Universe," "SSSS.GRIDMAN" and "SSSS.DYNAZENON" were screened for a limited two-week run in January and March, respectively.

Some of you may be curious to know that this is a compilation of the TV series, so if you want to see it again, we recommend that you rewatch the TV series. However, it is worth a trip to the theater for a review, as there is an admission bonus.

Now, the original "Gridman Universe" is scheduled to have a stage greeting by the director and main cast on its opening day on March 24.

I applied for the lottery for the pre-sale at Ticket Pia, and today, March 16, was the date of the lottery.

I thought I would win, but I was worried in case I was not selected, but to my surprise, I won!

Yay!　I am really happy about this. The ticket price is more expensive than the normal cost of seeing the show, but I am still happy.

I watched "SSSS.DYNAZENON" in real time when the TV series was on air in 2021. It has become one of my favorite animated works I have seen.

I wrote about my impressions at the time on this blog.
2021年4月放送『SSSS.DYNAZENON』

I feel very nostalgic when I read back the past articles.

The following corrections were made.

The two works share the same worldview and setting, but there are some differences. Both works share a setting in which a transforming giant hero like Ultraman appears and fights monsters. DYNAZENON" also features a combined mecha and an additional setting in which robots and monsters fight.

Both works share a structure in which several mysteries are presented at the beginning of the story, and the mysteries are solved as the story progresses. The quality of the artwork is also very high.

Although I love this work, I never expected it to be made into a movie.

When an anime movie is made for core anime fans, the number of theaters that show it is usually very limited.

To limit it to Tokyo, the usual theaters include Shinjuku Wald and Ikebukuro Cinema Sunshine, but "Gridman Universe" is mainly shown at TOHO Cinemas. When we checked, the movie is not shown at Ikebukuro Sunshine. This is very unusual.

This may be due to the relationship between Tsuburaya Productions, the production company, and Toho Pictures, but that is just my imagination.

On March 24, there will be a screening with a stage welcome at TOHO Cinemas Hibiya, one of my favorite theaters, where I always carry my feet. This is one of my favorite theaters and I always go there. I think it is a first-class movie theater. I am very happy about it.

Having written all this, I still want to see the compilation of "SSSS.DYNAZENON. DYNAZENON" because I am curious about the admission bonus.

The admission bonus is an illustration card with a voice drama drawn by Tetsu Amemiya, with the voice drama "'Even if everyday is boring': Mumei Minami and Reki Yamanaka".

I knew I had to have it. I immediately made a reservation on the theater's website.

Tomorrow, Saturday, I will go to TOHO Cinema Ikebukuro at 8:00 p.m. to see the compilation movie.

I guess that's it for today.

Well, good night.

The Fabelmans and WF-1000XM4

On Thursday, March 16th, it was time for the weekly gacha in DOAXVV. The trend coordinate swimsuit of the day was the SSR 'Voltage Heart.' Luckily, I was able to get 'Voltage Heart' for Fiona and Nanami, my two Venus girls. I'm thrilled about this! This pair had previously obtained an SSR and leveled up during the festival, so there's no doubt they will win in the SSS finals.

Yesterday, on Wednesday the 15th, I went to see a movie at TOHO Cinema in Hibiya after finishing work. I didn't have the energy to write in my diary when I got home, as it was already past 11:30 pm. Today, I feel extremely tired, but I would feel bad if I didn't write in my diary.

So, the first topic of today is my impression of the movie 'the Fablemans'.

This movie is Steven Spielberg's autobiographical work, depicting his childhood to his sophomore year in college. Although I only had this information from the trailer, I was pretty sure it would be a promising work.

I wondered what 'the Fablemans' in the title meant, but it turns out to be the family name of the protagonist, Sam. Since it's an unfamiliar name for Japanese people, I didn't think it was a surname.

This name seems to be a Jewish family name, and in a scene where Sam introduces himself, it leads to a scene where he experiences Jewish discrimination.

I had no energy to write in my diary yesterday on Wednesday, March 15th, as I went to see a movie at TOHO Cinema in Hibiya after work. It was already past 11:30 pm by the time I got home, and today I feel really sleepy. However, I can't help but feel uneasy if I don't write in my diary.

Spring and Cherry Blossoms in Tokyo

 Today is Tuesday, March 14th.

Tokyo has been enjoying warm weather lately, but today's high is only 15 degrees Celsius, making it feel slightly chilly. We still can't completely put away our winter clothes, but it's already mid-March, and the temperature will continue to rise.

Perhaps the cherry blossoms will bloom in Tokyo tomorrow, on the 15th.

During this season, peach and plum trees also bloom. They both have pink petals, making it difficult to distinguish between them without knowledge.

However, cherry blossoms are by far the most popular in Japan.

Japanese people really love cherry blossoms. I wonder why.

Compared to peaches and plums, cherry blossoms bloom all at once, their blooming is very showy and vigorous, and their peak is very short-lived, with the flowers falling quickly.

There are many famous cherry blossom spots in Tokyo. It's easy to find places with beautiful cherry blossoms even if you don't go to a famous location.

There are probably cherry trees planted all over Japan.

The cherry blossom season is very short, lasting only about a week. However, its blooming is so spectacular that it must leave a strong impression on Japanese people.

There is a waka (Japanese poem) about cherry blossoms that I like.

「YONONAKANI TAETE SAKURANO NAKARISEBA HARUNOKOKOROWA NODOKEKARAMAZI」

"If it weren't for cherry blossoms enduring in this world, then a heart of spring would never be able to exist peacefully."

It's a waka included in the Kokin Wakashu (a Japanese poetry anthology), and it was written by Ariwara no Narihira.

When cherry blossoms bloom, people feel that spring has come, and they can't sit still.

When spring comes, I also feel restless and uneasy. Perhaps it's because of the cherry blossoms.

If cherry blossoms bloom, I want to go see them. My favorite place is around Roppongi Hills and Spanish Hill. The beautiful townscape and the cherry blossoms are integrated, making it very beautiful.

Now, onto the last topic for today.

The aquarium on my lunchtime walking route.

I was worried because I haven't seen any Yamato numa ebi (Japanese freshwater shrimp) recently, but I was able to find one today, moving around without any issues. I took a photo, so I wanted to share it.

A Touching Sports Drama Showcasing Tom Cruise's Acting Skills: 'Jerry Maguire'

https://soundcloud.com/grow-rich-think/a-touching-sports-drama?si=130ccb08a6434beeb47b16c69789bfd2&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Today is Sunday. When I woke up, the first thing I did was check the weather for today by looking at Weather News.

There is some interesting information about the cherry blossom forecast. It is said that cherry blossoms will bloom when the accumulated daily maximum temperature since February 1st exceeds 600 degrees. However, this information is limited to the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo and is based on empirical knowledge. It is said that it does not apply to other regions.

I write a blog every day as a diary. Initially, the purpose was for English composition, but now the purpose has shifted to writing itself.

I am always thinking about what to write, but I cannot write about everything that happens or everything I think about. When I sit down at my computer, I often end up writing about something completely different from what I had planned. Writing something is the same as not writing something else. If I don't write about something, most of it will disappear into the recesses of my memory. I want to try to make a memo of everything I can.

Now, for today's topic.

I reread a book I had read before to reconsider my writing style.

The book I reread was "20-sai no jibun ni ukesasetai bunsho kogi" (Lecture on writing I want to give to my 20-year-old self) by Fumitake Koga.

The theme of the book is to eliminate the frustration of being able to speak but not write, and it explains the technique of converting spoken language into written language. Writing is thinking. Writing is a very good habit that strengthens thinking skills. I hope that people will develop a habit of writing as early as possible. Recently, I have been thinking about what is necessary for a healthy democracy to function. I think that if each citizen learns to write, they can acquire correct thinking and information literacy, and be able to make the right choice of government, which is necessary for a healthy democracy.

Now, about my usual English learning.

Lately, I have been spending almost all my time on English learning and have no time to read Japanese books. However, even if I can speak English, it is still a habit that is indispensable for conveying information to read Japanese books.

I use an app called "ELSA" every day to practice pronunciation, but I am very bad at pronouncing "usually" and "occasions." I always receive an "NG" rating. It is written in Katakana as "ju," but the actual pronunciation seems to be different. Maybe I will get an "OK" rating if I stick my lips out and vocalize from the back of my throat.

And finally, the last topic.

Yesterday, I went for a walk in Hibiya, so today I decided to watch a movie at home. The movie I watched today was "Jerry Maguire," starring Tom Cruise, with Renée Zellweger and Cuba Gooding Jr. co-starring. Although it was a movie from 1997, I didn't feel any sense of datedness, except for the fact that they used feature phones instead of smartphones.

The movie was very immersive, and I was moved to tears during the final scene.

The story depicts the journey of Jerry Maguire, a talented sports agent (Tom Cruise), who becomes disillusioned with his job, gets fired, and then starts his own company with the help of a struggling football player and an accountant named Dorothy. The movie portrays many themes, such as the business side of sports and a romantic relationship with a single mother, with a comedic touch, but it is ultimately a serious, humanistic drama.

The movie is 2 hours and 18 minutes long. I felt a little bored in the middle, but overall, it was an immersive and satisfying work.

Since watching "Maverick" at the movie theater, this was my third Tom Cruise movie on video. The other two were "Knight and Day" (co-starring Cameron Diaz) and "Jack Reacher" (co-starring Rosamund Pike). I am surprised that all the Tom Cruise movies I have seen so far are good, without any failures. He is truly a fantastic actor.

Tokyo Mid Town Hibiya

https://www.tumblr.com/destiny-venus/711536486968852480/metropolis?source=share

On Saturday, March 11th, I went for a walk to Tokyo Midtown in Hibiya. This facility is one of the largest commercial complexes in Tokyo, including the TOHO Cinema, and has a luxurious interior design, with even the toilets being more luxurious than my room. All the shops located inside the complex have a sense of luxury, and the visitors also have a sophisticated and refined style.

From the rooftop of the facility, you can see the view of Hibiya Park. It is one of my favorite areas, and this was my third visit. The previous two times I went on weekdays, and there were not many people, but on Saturdays, many people came to enjoy their day off.

Near Tokyo Midtown is Hibiya Chanter, which has probably been around for over 30 years. I visited it many times when it first opened, but I hardly remember which shops were located there. So, I decided to take a look at Hibiya Chanter after many decades. Compared to Tokyo Midtown, it has a more relaxed atmosphere, and the visitors are relatively older. Compared to Shinjuku and Shibuya, it has a very comfortable adult atmosphere.

I first learned that the stage of the popular anime "SPY×FAMILY" was being performed in Hibiya Chanter by seeing a poster with the logo inside the store. The posters are made for each actor and are displayed throughout the store. Many people stop in front of the posters to take pictures, and I did the same. In addition, the handprints of big stars such as Toshiro Mifune and Hibari Misora, who appeared in Toho movies, were on display as reliefs, which was very interesting.

Hibiya is located on the commuting route, so you can easily visit it without spending transportation costs if you use a commuting pass. Moreover, you can walk to Ginza and the Imperial Palace from Hibiya, and there are many tourist spots. Furthermore, if you get off at Otemachi, just one station away, you can access Tokyo Station, right in the center of Tokyo. It's a shame not to go out on holidays since you already have a commuting pass.

Until now, I have spent many holidays at home, but I have come to feel that I want to explore Tokyo more actively. As I live in a globally renowned city like Tokyo, it is a waste to stay at home. It takes only about 30 minutes one way from my home to Hibiya. Also, there is a very splendid movie theater, so I will probably use it more often in the future.

Tokyo is such a huge city, isn't it?

3.11 East Japan Earthquake

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Today is Saturday, so it's a day off. I would like to start my day by writing a blog. Writing is the easiest creative activity, and I think it's a very important skill for expressing yourself. I hope that writing a blog will improve my writing skills.

Today, March 11, is the anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. This year is the 12th anniversary. In the early morning of this day, earthquakes struck Hokkaido and Kanto one after the other. The "Weather News" program on YouTube reported the news. The program usually features a beautiful weather forecaster who speaks to viewers in a soft and friendly tone, but during the news flash, tension is high and she immediately urges viewers to ensure their safety. 

The contrast between the usual weather program and the tension during the news flash is palpable. Fortunately, there was no damage caused by the earthquake. Although the Japanese are accustomed to earthquakes, as Japan is an earthquake-prone country, extra caution is needed on this special day. Even earthquakes that would normally go unnoticed may have served as a reminder to raise disaster preparedness awareness among the Japanese people.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), there were 1500 earthquakes with a magnitude of 6.0 or greater worldwide between 2010 and 2020. Of these, 31 occurred in Japan, which would indicate that Japan has experienced relatively few large earthquakes when looking only at the number of occurrences.

However, when considering the frequency of large earthquakes of magnitude 6.0 or greater, Japan can be considered to have a relatively average amount of seismic activity on a global scale. This information is provided by ChatGPT.

Recently there have also been major earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, and Japan is known to be prone to disasters such as typhoons, giving the impression that Japan experiences a lot of disasters. The saying "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" was born from the experience of Japanese people living in a disaster-prone country, and I think it is a very useful phrase.

Since today is Saturday, I am in a relaxed mood. I am an indoor person, so even on weekends, my main activities outside the house are shopping and walking. Occasionally I go to the movies. Today, however, I plan to take the train and go to Hibiya, where there is a movie theater.

I don't go to the movies, but the Hibiya movie theater is also a very impressive commercial facility. Especially the view from the roof is wonderful. I usually read English books on the train. There's nothing else to do on the train, so I can concentrate better than when I read at home.

I have time to read books at home on vacation, but surprisingly, my concentration doesn't last long. Since I have a commuter pass, I'm thinking of going out and studying at the same time. It's also a good way to refresh my mood and spend my vacation.

If possible, I'd like to buy some delicious sweets and enjoy a cafe-like atmosphere at home.

The effective English learning methods.

https://www.tumblr.com/destiny-venus/711405928475508736/dead-or-alive-xtreme-venus-vacation-doaxvv?source=share

The temperature in Tokyo today was 21 degrees Celsius, and although it's chilly in the morning and evening, the weather has become spring-like during the day. There are pink flowers blooming near my office that look like cherry blossoms, but upon closer inspection, they seem to be different. Judging from the texture of the tree, they are probably plum trees. This morning's Weather News explained how to tell the difference between cherry blossoms, plum blossoms and peach blossoms. They bloom at the same time with pink petals, so they look similar, but apparently they can be distinguished by the shape of the petals.

Reference article

I feel that there has been a change in me since I started journaling. I have become more aware of my own actions and have begun to pay attention to what is happening around me. Also, my insight has increased and different ideas come to my mind. I feel more positive and proactive than before.

So I asked ChatGPT about the purpose of journaling.

The purpose of journaling varies from person to person, but in general, the reasons are as follows

Organize thoughts: Writing a journal allows you to organize your thoughts and feelings. By writing, you can objectively look at your inner self and understand your way of thinking and behaving.

Memorization: By recording daily events and memories, you can recall them more vividly. Also, by reading them later, you can review your growth and what you have learned from past mistakes.

Enhance creativity: Journaling can enhance your creativity and self-expression. By putting your thoughts into words, you can improve your sensitivity and expressiveness.

Stress relief: If you have daily stress, journaling can help you relieve it. By expressing your feelings and thoughts, you can reduce the burden on your mind.

As mentioned above, there are many benefits to journaling.

If there are so many good things, I think it would be great if we could teach diary writing in compulsory education.

Now let's get into the main topic of today: my English learning has been stagnant lately. To give myself a boost, I pretended to be a third-party and gave myself a lecture on English learning.

The importance of expressing emotions when speaking English

It is said that it is important to express emotions when speaking English. Today, I would like to share with you something I realized during my speaking practice. First, imagine a fictitious person and imagine yourself talking to him or her in English. By practicing this method, you can naturally focus on your pronunciation and make an effort to speak clearly. In addition, the good thing about this method is that you can feel the feeling of being there. By feeling this feeling, it can be more deeply engraved in your memory. I think this method is a very practical way of learning.

The Need to Practice Speaking and Listening, Not Just Grammar

Understanding grammar is very important for learning a second language, but simply reading grammar books or doing exercises will not make you able to speak English. Therefore, it is important to include speaking and listening practice along with grammar study. However, understanding grammar is the very foundation, and it is extremely helpful to memorize phrases and create English sentences, which makes it easier to understand the structure of English. It is important to continue learning English grammar every day, even if it is just a little bit within your reach.

The Importance of Quality and Continuous Learning in English Language Learning

In English language learning, it is an important fact that the quality of studying is more important than the length of studying time, which applies to all kinds of learning. I believe that studying without concentration is a waste of time. Therefore, it is important to focus on effective English learning and to keep on learning. Although the time it takes to become proficient in English may vary, if you continue to make the effort, there will certainly come a time when you will be able to speak English.

The importance of self-learning before relying on paid services

There are many expensive English learning services available on the Internet. While they may be very attractive to people who want to speak English, it is not necessary to use these paid materials until you have acquired the minimum necessary English skills. First, you need to develop the minimum necessary English skills through your own efforts. If you know how to learn, you can use useful self-study applications and content, whether paid or free. In addition, there are many excellent books that explain how to study, so choose the method that works best for you.

If there's something you don't understand, you can search for it on the Internet, and there are also AIs like ChatGPT that can answer your questions at any time. You won't be frowned upon for asking the same thing over and over again. You can ask questions until you understand without hesitation. Therefore, I don't think it's necessary to spend money on many paid English conversation services that have been offered so far.

The importance of professional one-on-one lessons

However, not all services are unnecessary. If you decide to use a service, you should choose professional private lessons. A representative service is online English conversation. The usefulness of private lessons is common to all hobbies, such as learning to play a musical instrument or driving a car.

In this article, I have delved into a specific topic with thorough explanations. I hope you have all gained valuable new insights. In addition, I have addressed pertinent challenges and provided effective solutions to help you make informed decisions. Finally, I hope you have found this article to be a helpful resource. Rest assured, I am committed to providing more informative content in the future.

The update has arrived!

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Thursday, March 9th. The highest temperature in Tokyo was 21 degrees, and the weather was so mild that people could go out without wearing a jacket during the day.

Today, Thursday, is an exciting day for all DOAXVV players because there is an update every Thursday. I am curious about what the trend coordination gacha for this week's update will be.

This week's trend coordination gacha is posted on this link.

Usually, I spin the gacha without thinking, but this time I looked at the information released by the official to feature in my blog. However, it is quite complicated, and I can't understand it well. Roughly speaking, it seems that the appearance probability of SSR is only a maximum of 3.3%.

However, even though I don't spend any money, I can get an SSR almost every week. Of course, some weeks I don't get any, but I feel a little suspicious about whether this probability is true.

The DOAXVV event fest is based on the difficulty that assumes that one of the pair wears the trend coordination SSR swimsuit, so it becomes difficult to win in the finals as you progress to SS rank and SSS rank.

The SSR trend coordination swimsuit has a high-excitement effect that boosts various Venus parameters, so it is essential to have an SSR to win the event fest. In other words, if you cannot get the trend coordination early, you will lose your fighting spirit before the fight.

With only a 3.3% chance, I think it might be impossible to get an SSR every week as I spin the gacha. The first time, I lost. The second time, I lost.

By the way, the production when the SSR is confirmed is completely different from the normal effect, so you can judge whether it is a miss or not immediately.

And the third time. The confirmation production of the SSR flowed on the screen. Elise is the Venus of the equipment award.

I feel surprised and happy. It's a moment when I feel super lucky, although it's short.

Elise is a Venus I just got two weeks ago, and she is participating in two consecutive event fests, and her current level is 42, so she is an excellent fighting force. By the way, among the many Venuses, I think Elise is the coolest character.

The operator who releases precious SSR every week without spending any money is surprisingly generous. If I succeed in changing jobs and have some financial leeway, I want to pay them back by spending some money.

Well, there is one day left for work this week. I'm already writing this diary with a weekend feel. I usually just go back and forth between my company and home, so I'm thinking of getting off somewhere and wandering around Tokyo.

I want to go to Toho Cinema in Hibiya tomorrow and look at Hibiya Park at night from the rooftop of the building. The rooftop of the building where the cinema is located is free to enter, and there is a lovely cafe. I can't wait until tomorrow...

Cherry blossoms: The season of samurai flowers has arrived

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 The daytime temperature in Tokyo has been above 20°C (68°F) every day, and it is already early March, signaling the arrival of spring. During my daily lunchtime walk, I was surprised to find early-blooming cherry trees. Although they were far from full bloom, it was an exciting moment for me to see the arrival of spring.

In ancient times, Japanese samurai strove to make their short lives bloom as beautifully as flowers. They are said to have discussed bushido under the cherry blossoms as they began to bloom, just as the "cherry blossom front" was moving north. There is also an anecdote that the samurai always planted a cherry tree so that they could see the beautiful blossoms before going into battle.

The care with which the samurai treated cherry trees has been carried over into modern Japan. In the spring, many people go to parks and streets to admire the beautiful blossoms of cherry trees. The event called "Hanami," or cherry blossom viewing, held in conjunction with the blooming of the cherry blossoms, has become one of the most popular spring events in Japan. Through cherry blossoms, people can share beautiful moments and enrich their lives, just as the samurai aimed to do.

There is an aquarium that I always stop at when I go for a walk. Amidst the colorful tropical fish swimming around, my attention is always drawn to a tiny and inconspicuous shrimp called the Yamato numaebi. Today, when I looked in the tank, I couldn't find the little shrimp. I was worried that they might have died or something. However, looking at the tank is still comforting.

Lately I have been eating expired rolling stock (canned food) for lunch. I stockpile food in case of disasters, but it is difficult to keep track of expiration dates. Therefore, I think it is a good idea to constantly repeat consumption and replenishment to avoid wasting food.

Lately I have been going to bed late, so last night I took sleeping pills. Thanks to them, I fell asleep quickly. However, I overslept for an hour in the morning and again for 11 minutes during my midday nap. I have suffered from insomnia for many years and have been hospitalized for sleep apnea. The results confirmed that CPAP treatment was not necessary. However, the exact cause remains unknown.

Daily events, even trivial ones, provide an opportunity to reflect on one's life. This is the beauty of keeping a diary. Today, too, I made a small discovery, and it was an invaluable day for me.

DOAXVV: Would you like to enjoy the beach with venus?

Soft Engine

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 I want to talk about my favorite game "DEAD OR ALIVE Xtreme Venus Vacation" today. It has been over a year since I started playing this game, and my total playtime is 939.1 hours. According to the official website, DOAXVV has been in service for 5 years.

DOA (Dead or Alive), the original title of DOAXVV, was initially released as an arcade fighting game exclusively for arcades. The first DOA was an arcade game that ran on the same SEGA Model2 platform as Virtua Fighter2, and the control system was an arranged version of VF2's 3-button system. The G (Guard) button of VF2 was changed to H (Hold), and the guard was arranged to be done when the lever was operated in the opposite direction, as in traditional 2D fighting games.

In addition, bold 3D effects are used for damage and portrayal through the Danger Zone, as well as for expressing the busts of female characters that appear in the game, making it a groundbreaking and highly advanced game system.

The porting to home 32-bit game consoles at the time was excellent in reproducing the original arcade game, demonstrating Tecmo's high development power sufficiently.

In "DOA," all playable characters are female and are called "Venus." Currently, 30 playable Venus have appeared, and new Venus are planned to be added regularly. The basic gameplay is to organize a pair of Venus and play beach volleyball, and the limited elements that players can intervene in are because an automatic battle system by AI is adopted. When you win at beach volleyball, you can get useful items or raise the Venus's level.

However, the charm of this game is not the beach volleyball itself, but the ability to admire the Venus in swimsuits. Using the photo mode, you can save various attractive images, and by seeing a variety of images uploaded on Twitter, you are driven by the urge to try it yourself. I had no interest in uploading images to SNS, but I want to improve my photography skills to enjoy the game more.

There is one more point I want to touch on about this game. That is, this game is a gacha game that includes a payment element. Even if you don't pay, you can get SSR items, so this game is quite tolerant. However, I want to get Venus's exclusive limited-release items that are sold only on each Venus's birthday. However, the minimum unit for payment in this game is set very high at 10,000 yen. The desired item is not guaranteed to be obtained even if you pay 10,000 yen because a very low drop rate is set for the special prize items.

Therefore, I have never paid for anything in this game. However, I think that even players who do not pay can still enjoy this game sufficiently. However, since there are limits to what non-paying players can do, I feel it's important to not be too greedy and just enjoy the game.

Let's Grow

March 6th. The current time is 23:44.

After thinking about whether to write about growth, which I wrote about at work today, or DOAXVV, which I play all the time, I decided to write about growth.

I'll write about DOAXVV tomorrow.

Yesterday, I went back and read a blog post I wrote eight years ago and noticed that there was not much difference between it and my current writing. 

It is true that I had not written recently, so perhaps I had not grown.

I also looked back at my own growth.

My introverted personality hasn't changed at all since childhood, and my most destructive relationships, which are my greatest weakness, are still the same.

I believe we are born to grow. However, when I look back at my past, I don't feel that I have grown at all.

I want to live my life so that I can feel growth every day, so that I will not regret it in the future.

It is not too late.

March 5

Shanti refreshing in nature with her hair blowing in the wind.

It is cloudy and rainy in Tokyo on Sunday, March 5. I wanted to do laundry, but because the weather is bad, I decided to dry it inside. Today is already March 5th.

Yesterday it was warm enough not to wear a jacket. Moreover, the temperature is expected to reach nearly 20℃ from the second half of this week. It's time to change your clothes for the season.

As the temperature rises, the amount of pollen increases, making it a tough season for people with hay fever. Hay fever is a common allergy symptom that often causes itchy eyes, sneezing, and runny nose. Applying petroleum jelly to the inside of the nose is said to relieve symptoms.

I haven't been able to do "extensive reading" to improve my reading comprehension because I've been spending time on speaking and writing for the past two days. Today I plan to prioritize extensive reading.

When I want to know the weather, I usually watch a special weather forecast channel called "Weather News" on YouTube. To get a wide range of information, I'll listen to the radio today.

The advantage of listening to the radio is that you can hear news and information without looking or reading, which makes it convenient to do other tasks. In addition, radio programs include a variety of topics such as entertainment and music, which makes listening more enjoyable.

Sometimes I want to go to a fancy coffee shop, but it's too expensive for me because a cup of coffee costs 500 yen. So I want to think of ways to enjoy coffee at home instead of going to a coffee shop.

3月5日、日曜日、東京は曇りで雨である。洗濯する予定であったが、天気が悪いため、室内で干すことに決めた。今日はもう3月5日である。

英語がわかるという感覚

私は英語を話せるようになりたい。去年から英語学習を継続しているが、未だに話すことが出来ずに悩んでいる。

どうしたら英語が話せるようになるのだろうか？

毎日、試行錯誤を繰り返しながら、色々と考えたが私が得た結論は次のとおりだ。

「英語がわかるという感覚を養う」

どうこうことか？

英語を読んだり聴いたりしたときに、大きく「わかる」という感覚が得られるかどうかが重要だ。細かな点は気にしなくてもよい。

これはよく言われている「英語脳」を獲得するということと同義だろう。

では、具体的にどのような学習方法で「英語脳」を獲得できるのか。

理屈だけを言えばとても単純なことだ。

それは英語の本を読んだり、ラジオを聴いたりするなど、英語のコンテツに沢山接することである。

ただし利用するコンテンツには少し条件がある。

第一の条件は自分のレベルにあっていること。言うまでもなく、自分の実力を超えるコンテンツは理解できない。理解できないコンテンツで「わかる」感覚を得ることは出来ないのだから意味がない。

自分のレベルに相応しいコンテンツを見つけ出すことがとても重要だ。しかし実はこれが難しいのだ。

注意したいのはよくあるドラマや映画を利用すること。この方法は初心者には向かない。

何故なら映像コンテンツは英語諸学者にとっては難易度が高いものが多い傾向が高いからだ。

第二の条件は興味のあるコンテンツを選ぶこと。
興味がないもので学習するのは苦痛である。あえて「学習」という表現を使っているが、英語を取得したければ興味のあることを英語で学ぶんだほうがよい。何故ならそのほうが没頭できるし継続もしやすいからだ。

例えば、ハリーポッターが大好き人は、母国語でハリーポッターを読んですでに理解できているので、英語でハリーポッターの原書を読んでも、大きく意味は捉えられる。このようなケースでは「わかる」という感覚を、とても得やすいはずである。

以上のことについてChatGPTにも質問をしてみたら、とても納得の行く回答が得られたので情報を共有したい。

ChatGPT: 英語を読んだり聴いたりしたときに「わかる」という感覚を養うためには、以下のような効果的な学習方法があります。

多読（たどく）

多読とは、たくさんの英語の文章を読むことで、英語のリズムや文法、表現を自然に身につける方法です。初めは文法のルールや単語の意味を辞書で調べながら読むことが多いかもしれませんが、繰り返し読むことで徐々に理解が深まり、自然な英語のリズムや表現が身につくようになります。

リスニング

英語を聴くことも、英語の理解力を高める上で重要です。英語のニュースやポッドキャスト、映画やドラマなど、興味のあるコンテンツを聴いて、リズムや発音、単語や表現を覚えることができます。最初は字幕をつけたり、繰り返し聴いたりして、徐々に聞き取りの難易度を上げていくとよいでしょう。

口頭練習

英語を話すことも、英語力を向上させる上で大切です。まずは自分がよく使う表現や質問文などを練習して、英語でコミュニケーションを取ることを意識してみましょう。また、スピーキング練習アプリやオンラインの会話サイトを利用することで、リアルな英語の会話を練習することもできます。

語彙力の向上

英語を読んだり聴いたりする上で、語彙力は非常に重要です。単語帳を活用したり、語彙力アプリを利用することで、英単語やフレーズを覚えることができます。また、英語のニュースや記事を読んで、頻出単語や表現を覚えることも効果的です。

文法の理解

英語の文法を理解することは、英語力を高める上で欠かせません。文法のルールを理解し、英文を分析することで、英語の表現力が向上します。また、文法書やオンラインの英語学習サイトなど

37 years ago Top Gun

According to the forecast, it will be sunny then cloudy on Saturday, March 4.

The maximum temperature in Tokyo will be 17 degrees Celsius.

Although the temperature fluctuates a lot depending on the day, it is gradually getting warmer.

You can also feel the spring-like atmosphere. Cherry blossoms are said to bloom in Tokyo in mid-March.

Spring is also the season for enrollment and employment, and it makes you feel restless.

I prefer winter to spring because I like the feeling of reluctance to get out of a cold room in the morning.

Well, enough about the weather. The topic of today's conversation is Top Gun.

Yesterday I watched the 1986 movie "Top Gun" on Amazon Video.

It is surprising that a sequel is being produced 37 years later, starring the same actor, Tom Cruise.

In the first half of the original story, the protagonist, Maverick, takes bold actions full of confidence, but the second half portrays his struggles after losing his best friend in an accident.

The finale has a great climax with a fighter plane battle between the F-14 and the Mig.

It is a very impressive work, but the process of the protagonist rising from his struggles and reaching the final fighter battle feels inadequate.

On the other hand, the new Maverick has credibility and successfully portrays a fighter battle that is suitable for entertainment.

I think Tom Cruise is one of the greatest actors, and if he became president, he could be the greatest president in U.S. history.

Top Gun: Maverick

March 3rd, Friday.

Today, March 3rd, is "Hinamatsuri" or "Doll Festival" in Japan. Hinamatsuri is one of the traditional events in Japan, and families with girls decorate their houses with "hina dolls" (also known as "Ohina-sama"), which are male and female pair dolls shaped like the emperor and empress.

It is said that the custom of displaying "hina dolls" dates back to the Edo period, although it is believed to have originated from the customs of the Japanese nobility. To confirm my knowledge and memory about the origin of "hina dolls", I asked ChatGPT.

Since there is no clear explanation for the historical origin of decorating with hina dolls at Hinamatsuri, there are several theories. Below are some representative theories.

One theory is that it originated from "Joshi no Sekku" or "Girls' Day," which was celebrated among aristocrats during the Heian period. According to this theory, aristocrats in the Heian period decorated peach trees or flowers and ate peaches on March 3 as a good luck charm to pray for the health and longevity of their children. It is said that this custom spread among the common people and eventually evolved into the display of Hina dolls.

Another theory is related to the development of culture during the Edo period. During this period, the warrior class, including the shogun's family, began to celebrate Hinamatsuri on March 3. At that time, it became fashionable to make Hina dolls, and it is said that the display of Hina dolls also became popular.

A third theory is that the custom of displaying Hina dolls spread among the common people in the middle of the Edo period. In the middle of the Edo period, hina dolls became popular among the common people and established themselves as a representative decoration for Hinamatsuri. According to this theory, the custom of displaying Hina dolls originated among the common people.

In modern Japan, it is common to eat diamond-shaped rice cakes called "hishimochi" or "chirashi sushi" (scattered sushi) and drink sweet rice wine called "amazake" to celebrate Hinamatsuri.

I plan to buy some amazake and celebrate Hinamatsuri today.

Yesterday I watched "Top Gun: Maverick" at a movie theater in Ikebukuro. This movie is a blockbuster starring Tom Cruise, and the previous movie was released 37 years ago in 1986. This movie was released on May 27 last year and is still being shown as of March 3, 2023, making it a super long-running movie.

I usually only watch animated movies, but I also watch live-action movies when they are big productions.

My impression of the movie I saw can be summed up in one word: overwhelming and amazing. The story, the direction, the aerial action and the visuals were all fantastic. I was completely immersed in the world of the movie. It was a dynamic movie that reminded me of Tom Cruise's Mission: Impossible series he starred in. It was a very exciting movie that I can still enjoy even after watching it.

Actually, I haven't seen the previous installment. It's just too old. However, I intend to watch it now.

The latest installment in the Mission: Impossible series is scheduled to be released in 2023. I would like to see it in the theater.

March 2

Thursday, March 2.The second day of a 5-day consecutive holiday. I think a diary is something to be written at the end of the day. The purpose is to reflect and record the events of the day. In my case, however, I often write in the morning. This is because the purpose of my journal writing is to learn English, so I emphasize what I want to write about or how I'm feeling at the time. Also, I'm usually too tired to write at night.

Writing is very enjoyable. I often spend the whole day thinking, "What am I going to write today? But sometimes when I actually try to write, I can't think of anything. The readers of this blog are only me. But if I'm going to write, I want it to be something meaningful.

Yesterday in Tokyo, it was warm enough that I didn't need a jacket. It was really nice weather. I regret not doing laundry. Today also seems to be a warm day. However, there is a possibility of sudden rain.

I plan to watch a movie in Ikebukuro today starting at 17:55. Yesterday was a discount day for movies. Today is the discount day for app members of the theater I belong to. I'm going to see "Top Gun: Maverick" today. I'm sure I'll be able to watch the movie in a relaxed atmosphere.

I don't watch TV, but I often watch videos on the Internet. I have a favorite video on YouTube that I always watch.

ASMR is an abbreviation for something, but I can't remember what it is in Japanese because it's hard.

I often get a tingling sensation. It is so pleasurable that it produces a feeling of rapture and ecstasy.

A good substance must be released in my brain. I can relax and maybe my concentration increases. Of all the ASMR videos out there, this is the best for me.

That's all for this morning.

Three Wishes

The first of every month is Movie Day. I requested a day off on March 1st because I was aiming for that day. If I'm going to watch a movie anyway, I want to relax while watching it during the day.

I looked for different movies, but I didn't find any that I particularly wanted to see. However, a biographical movie by Spielberg will be released on March 3.

After considering various options, I decided to watch "The Arabian Nights: The Wishes of the Three Genies”.

My favorite movie theater is TOHO Cinemas Hibiya. As far as I know, it's the best movie theater in Japan. Everything is great there anyway.

The movie starts at 11:50 on Wednesday, a weekday. I thought there would be enough seats, but it was almost full. Is this movie a hit?

The genie in the movie can grant three wishes. The reason three is the number of wishes is because it is a sacred number. I see. But the protagonist doesn't try to get three wishes, and that's the story.

What I felt here was what I would wish for. Do I want money, health, or world peace? If such happiness came to me, I thought I would seriously organize and understand my wishes beforehand.

After watching the movie, I wanted to have coffee in a nice cafe. There are many nice cafes, but I am reluctant to go alone. Besides, it costs money, and if I eat sweets, I might gain weight... In the end, I gave up on the cafe and went home with a feeling of regret.

I want to be the kind of person who can enjoy a graceful time in a nice cafe without feeling shy, especially since I am in Tokyo. Should I make this one of my three wishes?