バレンタインデーソング

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Crush with Eyeliner/REM

Here’s the video (please check on youtube)!

Very cool, right? Looks like on old 80s Japanese movie, doesn’t it?

More about the song (from Wiki):

“Crush with Eyeliner” is a song by R.E.M., released as the third single from their ninth studio album Monster. Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore provides background vocals.

Michael Stipe claims the song was inspired by the band New York Dolls, who, in his opinion, “knew how to exaggerate a song, to make it sound really sleazy and over the top.” This was also one of the first songs that surfaced from Stipe after the writer’s block that hounded him after the death of his friend, actor River Phoenix. ^[2]

The single’s video, directed by Spike Jonze, shows a group of Japanese youths dancing and miming to the track at a party, whilst the band are shown briefly, looking on. It is available on the music video compilation Parallel.

Lyrics/歌詞

Can you catch what they are singing?

I know you
I know you’ve seen her
She’s a sad ______
She’s three miles of bad ____
Walking down the street
Will I never meet her?
She’s a real woman-child
Oh, my kiss breath ________

I am ______
I’m the ____ ____ (I’m the ____ ____)
Have you seen her ____ around?
My crush with eyeliner

I’m in like
I’m ______
It’s all too much – the ______
She’s all that I can take
What _____ should I ____?
___ an attitude? (you ____ her)
How can I convince her? (____ her)
That I’m ______ too, yeah

I am ______
I’m the real thing (I’m the ____ ____)
We all _____ ourselves
And, uh, you know me

Yeah, she’s a sad ______
She’s three miles of bad ____
She’s her own _______ (she’s her own ______)
That gets me in the ______
What can I make myself be?
Life is ______, yeah (life is _____)
What can I make myself be? (____ her)
To make her mine?

I am _____
I’ll do anything (I’ll do anything)
A kiss breath _______,
My crush with eyeliner

I am _______

You know me (yeah, you know me)
I could be your _________
My crush with eyeliner
I am ______
I’m the ____ ____ (I’m the ____ ____)
Won’t you be my ________?
My crush with eyeliner

R.E.M.

Learn more about the band! Read the R.E.M. bio on Rolling Stone!

オバマに「ノーベル平和賞」受賞の資格はない！？

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Let it be known!

The Mayflower英語教室 debate resolution has been decided based on popular student vote!

On April 24th (Sat.), after 3+ months of preparation, at Mayflower Presentation Party #10 (MPP10) the Mayflower debate teams will hold an educational debate match on the following resolution: “The Nobel Peace Prize Committee should NOT have awarded the Nobel Peace Prize to American President Obama”

Other resolution candidates that were not chosen were:

“The Japanese government should raise the national minimum wage to 800 yen”

and

“Futenma air base should be relocated to Guam”

The winning team will be awarded our Mayflower debate trophy.

The Mayflower 英語教室 Debate Trophy is awarded for superior knowledge, context, and eloquence in English educational debate.

If you are interested in researching this controversial resolution, and you’d like to join our debate classes at Mayflower, please visit the Mayflower webpage for further details. Classes begin on Feb. 20th, and signups are already underway. We look forward to debating with you at Mayflower!

Mayflower英語教室 – 週末は英語漬け!

【備忘録: 英語のみのプレゼンパーティーMPP8】

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Just a reminder!

Mayflower’s 8th English Presentation Party (MPP8) is just around the corner!

It will be held on Feb. 13th (Sat.) at Mayflower in Shinjuku.

MPP8 will be featuring a great line-up, with several new speakers, and some old friends!

Opening time is at 6PM, and I hope to see everybody there!

For more details, please visit this webpage: http://mayflowerrobert.wordpress.com/2010/01/10/mpp8/

Mayflower英語教室 – 週末は英語漬け！

http://mayflower.p-kit.com/

新しい看板、新しい気持ち！

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Mayflower英語教室 - 週末は英語漬け！

Yesterday night Ted, Ryu, and I hung up our new Mayflower sign over the entrance! It was one of the best feelings in the world! Hope you share the good feelings by joining us as a student or a supporter.

Our next unit of classes is starting on Feb. 20th, so if you are interested, why not visit our webpage.

Also, our next Mayflower Presentation Party (MPP8) is coming up on Feb. 13th, and we’d love to see you there!

日本の形：交際

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Some great advice from ラーメンズ in this now classic piece on how to meet people…in Japan.

英語ディベートバイブル

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I’d like to recommend these three books for anyone interesting in learning more about debate! (Click on the links to purchase on Amazon.co.jp.)

Argumentation and Debate

Argumentation and Debate – This comprehensive introduction to the principles and practice of argumentation and debate uses a clear, concise, and engaging presentation that makes even complex material easy to understand. ARGUMENTATION AND DEBATE,12e, International Edition features concepts, argumentation models, practical guides, and real-life scenarios that you use to enhance your skills in academic debates. With an emphasis on critical thinking, reasoned decision making, and advocacy skills, this text empowers you to participate actively as citizens in a democratic society.

Speaking Listening and Understanding

Speaking, Listening And Understanding: Debate for Non-native English Speakers. The first text designed specifically to introduce debate to new English language speakers. Written in clear, easily accessible prose, it presents the basics of debate while avoiding the complexity and excessive cultural references that make standard texts difficult for this audience to use. Each chapter includes a list of the important concepts and key vocabulary terms as well as exercises that will help students master the skill discussed. All definitions are listed in a glossary.

Pros and Cons

Pros and Cons offers a unique and invaluable guide to current controversies, providing material for debate on a wide range of topics. Arguments for and against each subject appear in adjacent columns for easy comparison and related topics and suggestions for motions are listed at the end of each entry. Since its first publication in 1896 the handbook has been regularly updated and this 18th edition includes new issues such as censorship of the internet, genetic engineering and legalisation of prostitution. The introductory essay describes debating technique: covering the rules, structure and types of debate and offering tips on how to become a successful speaker. The book is then divided into 6 thematic sections, where specific subjects are covered individually.

ディベートトロフィー

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Mayflower held it’s first educational debate match last year on December 26th at Mayflower Presentation Party #7. The resolution was “Developed Countries Should Promote More Fair Trade”.

Here is a brief description in Japanese of what the educational aims of Mayflower debate are:

Both classes (Ted’s Sunday class was the Affirmative Side: Ikuko, Eriko, Ei-ichi; Ryu’s Saturday class was the Negative Side: Tomomi, Eri, Nobu) did a great job, and it was hard for me to choose the winner (I was presiding over the match at the judge), but in the end, I felt that the Affirmative Side had constructed an argument that the Negative Side found insurmountable.

Congratulations!

Of course, since this was an education debate, both sides were winners, since everybody improved their English in pursuit of knowledge, context, and eloquence.

In fulfilling my obligations as judge, later this term I will be giving both teams a report which will evaluate their arguments in order for all of the students involved to improve their performance at our next debate match (scheduled for April 24th). This is something that doesn’t seem to have been done before at other debate-focused schools that the students have attended in the past. I hope that they find it educationally useful.

Finally today, I am proud to present the first pictures of the Mayflower Debate Trophy. It may be small, but it has a big heart!

The Mayflower 英語教室 Debate Trophy is awarded for superior knowledge, context, and eloquence in English educational debate.

This will be the beginning of what will hopefully be a long tradition. It will be placed on display in the Mayflower office, and each time a debate match is held, a record of the resolution and the winning team (and the runner-up) will be added to the trophy with a ribbon.

Mayflower英語教室 - 週末はDEBATE！

I hope that this trophy will help the already intensely motivated students at Mayflower to feel an even stronger desire for achievement of excellence in English educational debate.

If you’d like to join our debate, or any other classes at Mayflower 英語教室, please visit our webpage.

Fuck you, クジラ!

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Fuck you, whale! And fuck you, dolphin! In "Whale Whores" South Park throws it's hat into the Japan Whale Wars ring with this surprise-ending episode that originally aired on Oct. 28, 2009 explaining why the Japanese have such a bone to pick with our blow hole equipped friends! (Click on the pic to watch the full episode.)

Click here for the full “Whale Whores” episode!

Mayflower 英語プレゼン & 国際交流パーティー (MPP8)！！！

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☆Mayflower Presentation Party #8 (MPP8)☆

英語プレゼン & 国際交流パーティーのご案内です!

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☆ Mayflowerのプレゼン＆パーティーは、自分自身を試す場です。生徒は自分の発表を英語で行い、観客は発表者に対して質問やコメントや称賛を英語で行います。発表者はそれにまた英語で答えなければなりません。つまり発表者も観客も刺激的に学ぶことができるというシナジー効果があるのです。

Click here to read a review of MPP7!

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MPP8発表予定者 (order TBA)

☆ Special Guest Speakers:

⇒ テリー中島: (topic TBA)

☆ Individual Presentations: TBA

⇒Tadaomi

⇒Tadakazu

⇒Yukari

⇒Setsuko

(Interested in speaking? Just contact Robert! <mayflowerrobert at gmail.com>)

☆ Group Presentations: TBA

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INFO

○日時: 2010年02月13日（土）
18:00: 会場
18:30: プレゼン開始
20:00: パーティー開始
21:30:ごろ終了

○参加費用: 1,000円（おひとり様あたり。1 drink代含む。)

○場所：
住所: 新宿区西新宿７丁目１４-１１第二規格ビル３階 (Google地図)
地図: http://mayflower.p-kit.com/page0006.html
会場: Mayflower英語教室
Email: mayflowerrobert@gmail.com
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講師メッセージ：

「英語で感動する、笑えるチャンスです。お気軽にお越しください。」

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その他

● Partyでプレゼンテーションをしたい！という方を随時募集しています。ドラマ・スピーチ・ダンス何でもOK！英語での質疑応答もあります！上記メールアドレスまでお気軽にご連絡下さい。

● 事前登録なしてもご入場いただけます。メールでの事前参加申込み大歓迎！です♪お久しぶりの方・初めての方、皆様のご参加をお待ちしております。

● 2010年第１学期のプレゼン＆パーティーは、2月13日（土）、3月21日（日)、4月24日（土）に開催します。生徒のスピーチがもりだくさんです。お楽しみに！

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Mayflower英語教室

週末は英語漬け！

http://mayflower.p-kit.com/

Mayflower Presentation Party

http://mayflowerrobert.wordpress.com/category/mayflower-presentation-party/

自分の小さな「箱」から脱出する方法

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"今まで読んだ中で一番心を揺さぶられた本です。これまで、Amazonのレビューは 書いたことがなかったのですが、思わずこうやって書いてしまうほど、インパクトが ありました。 「人生観が変わる」という言葉が当てはまる本が、本当にあるとは・・・自分でも驚きです。 " (From a Amazon.co.jp customer review.)

Since I became one of the directors of Mayflower英語教室, I have decided to focus on how to be a better leader, since working together closely with the other people involved in Mayflower is one of the essential factors for our success.

One way I decided to focus on being a better leader is by reading good books on the subject.

Yes, I know that everyone out there is so busy, and that there are a million “self-improvement” and “business thinking” books on the shelves out there, with most of them being not worth the paper they are printed on. I myself have experienced disappointment many times.

But I finally found a good one: “Leadership and Self-Deception”. I found it sitting very inconspicuously in a small book corner in Narita airport. Or rather I should say, it found me, because something about it called out to me. I bought it without knowing much about it. I decided to read it during a recent non-stop plane fight from Tokyo to Atlanta in one sitting.

And I can honestly say that even thought it is a small book ( it is less than 150 pages) it really had a big impact on me and really did change my mind about some things. So I want to recommend it to you, the readers of this blog. I am convinced that no matter who you are or what you do, this little book — with its holistic approach  and focus on interpersonal communication –has some wisdom that you can apply to your life!

I read the English version, which is here:

“Leadership and Self-deception” by The Arbinger Institute  (Penguin Books)
http://www.amazon.co.jp/Leadership-Self-deception-Getting-Out-Box/dp/0141030062/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=english-books&qid=1262994268&sr=8-3

If English isn’t your forte, then here is the Japanese version, although since I haven’t read it in Japanese, I can’t vouch for the translation:

http://www.amazon.co.jp/自分の小さな「箱」から脱出する方法-アービンジャー-インスティチュート/dp/4479791779/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263057114&sr=8-1-catcorr

If you decide to pick it up, and if you read it, please leave a comment here and let me know how this book impacted you. I’d really love to know.
Best,

Robert Duckworth

Mayflower英語教室 (新学期 １月１６日からスタート！）
週末は英語漬け！
http://mayflower.p-kit.com