どこからきましたか？

ぼくはニューヨークしゅうのニューヨークからきました。ニューヨークはとてもりっぱです。そしてゆうめいです。ニューヨークはたくさんのレストランがあります。でもたかいですよ。ぼくはときどきすしたべほうだいレストランにいきます。ニューヨークはおおきいです。でもぼくのアパートはおおきくありません。

誕生日おめでとう （たんじょうびおめでとう＝Happy Birthday!)

今日は杉田智和さんの誕生日です! (Today is Sugita Tomokazu's birthday!)　


杉田さんはとてもいいせいゆうですよ。(He's a very good voice actor.)
He's the guy at the end of this clip who kicks the radio. His screams are glorious.

He voiced Gintoki Sakata from Gintama as well as a bunch of other guys.

ムービーナイトのエッセイ (movie night essay)

今日の晩（きょうのばん）は八時（はちじ）デバートロで映画（えいが）を見（み）ました。この（this) ムービーナイトの映画はみやざきさんのほたるのはかです。本当に（ほんとうに=really)悲しい(かなしい＝sad)映画です。でも僕はちょっと（little bit) 怒る（おこる＝angry)です。なぜですか（why?)。それの理由（りゆう＝reason)はせつこの死（し＝death)。せつこの死はかいひできるでした（was avoidable)。
 Ok, I'm pretty sure I made several mistakes trying to google words to talk about the movie in Japanese so please excuse my わるいにほんご。 I will now continue in English.
Miyazaki's movies usually have lots of social commentary and Grave of the Fireflies is no exception. There is a lot of obvious anti-war sentiments shown throughout the movie but one thing that really stood out to me was Seita's pride and the interactions between him and the adults. There is zero compassion from the adults for the war orphaned children throughout the film. This disconnect can be seen in the beginning of the film where the janitors casually mention "oh, there's another dead kid." It can be seen again when Seita and Setsuko move in with their aunt, and when Seita is caught stealing from the farmer. I believe Miyazaki is trying to remind people to have some shred of empathy for others, especially now in this modern age where people are too preoccupied with themselves and often turn a blind eye to those in need. This brings me to my other point, which is Seita's pride.
After suffering through his aunt's verbal abuse, Seita makes the decision to take Setsuko and move into some shelter by a lake. While it's certainly brave of Seita to do this, we soon see how foolish of a decision it actually is. A crucial point in this movie is when Seita has run out of food and tries to get more from a farmer, but the farmer refuses him. However, the farmer offers him some advice. He tells Seita to suck up his pride, and beg his aunt to take them back in. He also tells him to be brave, as he is a Navy officer's son, but is he telling him to be brave to march on and continue taking care of Setsuko on his own? Or is he telling him to be brave and confront his aunt? I think this is a critical scene that shows the effect of the disconnect between the older and younger generations.  Seita's unwillingness to seek out his aunt for help isn't unwarranted given the fact of how much of a bitch his aunt is, but Seita refuses to throw his pride away, not even for the sake of Setsuko... and I guess that's why I was a little bit mad about her death. I believe Miyazaki is trying to show people that both generations are in the wrong. The older generation is too critical of the younger generation, while the younger generation is too prideful. This behavior has caused a rift that'll only continue to widen in the modern world as people operate more like robots that cannot empathize with others.

Maybe I'm just grasping at straws. I need to go watch something happy to balance things out.
 恋愛ラボＳ２はどこですか。(れんあいラボ＝Love Lab).

先週末（せんしゅうまつ）なにをしましたか？

先週末のどようび僕（ぼく）はフットボールゲームをみませんでした。でもたくさん（a lot） のアニメを見（み）ました。先週末のにちようび"Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs"の映画（えいが）を見ました。そして日本語(にほんご）をべんきょうしました。今週（こんしゅう）のかようびのテストはちょっとこわい（little bit scary) ですね。でも僕はにげちゃダメだ！(mustn't run away)
At least I'm just taking a test, not like the fate of humanity is resting on my shoulders. 

みなさん"新世紀エヴァンゲリオン"（Neon Genesis Evangelion) を見ますか？

僕の週末（ぼくのしゅうまつ）

この週末（this weekend)、僕はチョーヤ(choya is a brand)梅酒　(うめしゅ= plum wine）をのみました。おいしい　(delicious)　です。でも本当に(ほんとうに = really)甘い　(あまい＝sweet)　です。Just in case you were curious, those plums on the bottom taste like 90% alcohol x_x

そして、僕の家(うち）でアニメ映画（えいが）“言の葉の庭”(ことのはのにわ＝The Garden of Words)　を見（み）ました。アニメーション　(animation)　はとてもいいですよ。面白い　(おもしろい＝interesting）ですけどみじかい（short)   です(四十分ごろ = about 40 minutes）。
For those interested, this is the latest movie directed by Shinkai, Makoto, who also directed "5 Centimeters per Second" and the "Ef" series among a few other works. So basically, he's the guy who steals your delicious tears. Even if you don't enjoy the story, you'll definitely be entranced by the animation. It's a short movie about two people who happen to meet at a park during the rainy season. 

僕の日常

僕は毎日（まいにち）午前（ごぜん）十時(じゅうじ）ごろに起きます（おきます）. そしてよく朝ご飯（あさごはん）を食べます（たべます）。たいてい午後（ごご）十二時（じゅうにじ）にクラスに行きます（いきます）。その後（そのあと）午後五時（ごぜんごじ）ごろに家（うち）に帰ります（かえります）。僕はぜんぜん図書館（としょかん）に行きません。いつも家でしゅくだいをします。七時（しちじ）ごろ晩ご飯（ばんごはん）を食べます。そして、シャワーを浴びます（あびます）。その後，アニメをみます。いつも午前二時ごろに寝ます（ねます）。

じこしょうかい

はじめまして。

ぼくの名前（なまえ）はシャオです。日本人（にほんじん）じゃありません。中国人（ちゅごくじん）です。ノートルダム大学（だいがく）の四年生（よねんせい）です。せんこうはビジネスです。

どうぞよろしく。

I'd like to introduce everyone to an artist that goes by the name of スネオヘアー(Suneohair)。I first started listening to him after hearing the ending song "ワルツ" (Waltz) of the anime ハチミツとクローバー（Honey and Clover). The melody and lyrics really fit the series, so every time I hear this song, I'm always reminded of the tears I shed the bittersweet moments that I endured.


While I'm at it, here's another one of my favorite songs by him, "オレンジ" (Orange). 

I should stop myself before I link any more.