Everyday English, every day, With English Now!

December 31 – purpose

December 31 – purpose

December 31, 2019 =========
☆  purpose 目的
============================
Hello dear readers of the Eigo Techo mini mail. As you will have read in the past few emails, not only is this is the final Eigo Techo mini mail for 2019, it will also be the last mini mail for now.
In 2020, I will be busy with a new project and purpose, and I’m afraid that I won’t have time to send this email out daily.
I’d like to thank you sincerely for reading my mini mails for all these years! The Eigo Techo daily planner is still available for you each day of 2020 and you can find it on Amazon Japan, if you don’tRead more about December 31 – purpose[…]

December 30 – guidance

December 30 – guidance

December 30, 2019 =========

☆  guidance 助言

============================

The question for our Q&A this month is, “What is your purpose for the coming year, 2020?” One of the sample answers is, “I’m not sure yet, I need some guidance.” If you need guidance, who do you turn to?

Would you ask your parents? Your partner? Your friends or coworkers? Your boss? I guess it really depends on the situation and what you need guidance about, right? If you have a dilemma at work, it might be best to get guidance from your boss. But then again, your friends might know you better than your boss, so they might be able to give you better guidance.

DoRead more about December 30 – guidance[…]

December 29 – uncertain

December 29 – uncertain

December 29, 2019 =========

☆  uncertain 不確かな

============================

Do you know The Doors? The Doors are an American rock band, famous in the late 1960’s. You might know their songs such as, Light my Fire, Love Her Madly, and Riders on the Storm. Anyway, their lead singer, Jim Morrison is quoted as saying, “The future is uncertain, but the end is always near.” He actually died when he was 27, just as they were becoming very famous. So, unfortunately, it seems he was right!

What do you think about his comment though, “the future is uncertain, but the end is always near”? I think although it seems kind of depressing, it’s a good way toRead more about December 29 – uncertain[…]

December 28 – tense

December 28 – tense

December 28, 2019 =========

☆  tense 緊張した

============================

The second useful phrase this week is, “Don’t be tense, just relax.” When could you use this phrase? If you are a teacher, coach, massage therapist, it’s easy! You could tell your client not to be tense and just relax.

When else though? If a friend is going for a job interview? Definitely, good advice, “Don’t be tense, just relax.” Or you could even use it as self-talk if you are at an interview, or an important meeting… or even taking the TOEIC or TOEFL test. It’s a good phrase to pep yourself up. “Don’t be tense, just relax. I’ve got this!”

Bye,

Chris

December 27 – passionate

December 27 – passionate

December 27, 2019 =========

☆  passionate 情熱的な

============================

One of this week’s useful phrases is, “You’re always so passionate!” Do you know anyone you would say this to? I have a friend I would definitely say this to. She works, she runs, she volunteers, she catches up with friends, she travels… and she is always busy. I have no idea when she sleeps!

The amazing thing is that she is always passionate about what she is doing. Last month, she did a running event to raise money for blind people. Half of the runners wore eye masks so that they couldn’t see where they were running. The other half of the runners were leading theRead more about December 27 – passionate[…]

December 26 – grateful

December 26 – grateful

December 26, 2019 =========

☆  grateful 感謝して

============================

So, here we are at the end of 2019… what are you grateful for? What has been the highlight of 2019 for you? Do you have a lot to be grateful for?

I’m sure we all have a lot to be grateful for, right? It might be hard to come up with a long list in a few minutes. But what about spending a little bit of time, creating a list of what you were grateful for this year? If you could write out a list of 100 things, that would still only be one thing every three days… It should be pretty easy to find 100Read more about December 26 – grateful[…]

December 25 – happy

December 25 – happy

December 25, 2019 =========

☆  happy 幸せな

============================

Happy Christmas!

Or, should I say, Merry Christmas? Well, it depends! In 1843, Charles Dickens published, A Christmas Carol, and apparently the phrase “Merry Christmas” became popular then, as a quick way to greet others at Christmas time.

However, in Britain, the word “merry” tends to be connected to being drunk and happy – being merry. So, the Queen always says, “Happy Christmas” not Merry Christmas! Interesting!

These days of course, it’s safest just to say, “Season’s Greetings” or “Happy Holidays” which are both non-religious phrases.

Bye,

Chris

December 24 – positive

December 24 – positive

December 24, 2019 =========

☆  positive 楽天的な

============================

If you are positive about things, you are hopeful and confident. You think of the good aspects of a situation, rather than the bad aspects. You are optimistic and happy-go-lucky.

This week’s quote is, “No one we ever meet is a coincidence.” by Mimi Novic. I think this is a very positive way of looking at life. Back in August, when we talked about Troubles while Traveling, I mentioned a very scary thing that happened to my friend and I in Nagoya. That might seem like a very negative memory, but it’s actually quite positive. I survived, and so did my friend! But seriously, it showed meRead more about December 24 – positive[…]

December 23 – creative

December 23 – creative

December 23, 2019 =========

☆  creative 創造的な

============================

A creative person has the ability to invent and develop original ideas. Or they use something in a creative way to produce new or interesting results. I don’t feel like I am creative at all! If I buy a tool, I like to use it in the way it was meant to be used.

My son though, he is so creative. He is always looking at something and seeing what else it could be used for. Or finding a way to alter it, so it serves another purpose.

How about you? Would you describe yourself as creative? If so, in what way are you creative? If not, areRead more about December 23 – creative[…]

December 22 – take action

December 22 – take action

December 22, 2019 =========

☆  take action 行動に移す

============================

This week’s second useful phrase is, “Taking action is more important than just visualizing.” This is so true and I think it is why many people mistrust the Law of Attraction ideas. The Secret and other similar books made it seem like we just had to visualize the result we wanted and it would happen.

That’s a bit ridiculous really if you think about it. Sure, visualizing what you want is very important, I agree. But, if you don’t take any action, how will you ever get what you want? It’s like the person who visualizes winning the lottery. Every morning and night they meditate andRead more about December 22 – take action[…]

December 21 – organize

December 21 – organize

December 21, 2019 =========

☆  organize 体系化する

============================

Have you ever heard of the book, “The Organized Mind” by Daniel J. Levitin? (Note: in this case the word Organized is an adjective not a verb, like our word.) It looks like it might be interesting! It’s actually from 2014, so a “little” old, but in the book, he says that we are drowning in too much information, and yet we are expected make more decisions and faster decisions than ever before. So, how do we keep up?

In the book, he talks about the people who succeed in life and uses brain science to show how they do it. He sets out methods that weRead more about December 21 – organize[…]

December 20 – resist

December 20 – resist

December 20,2019 =========

☆  resist 抵抗する

============================

If you resist something, such as change, you refuse to accept it and try to prevent it. There is a famous saying by Carl Jung, who said that “What you resist, not only persists, but will grow in size.” This has been shortened and is often used in the Law of Attraction arena in this way: What you resist, persists.”

Why does this happen? Basically, if you are putting your energy into resisting something, then you are unconsciously putting all your focus on that thing. And the more you focus on something, the more you see it in your life.

So, what can we do? Jung says that ifRead more about December 20 – resist[…]

December 19 – discover

December 19 – discover

December 19, 2019 =========

☆  discover 発見する

============================

The word serendipity can be used to describe the “happy accidents” when someone discovers something by accident. For example, the Post-It note was discovered when the 3M employee developed a glue that was too weak for its actual purpose, so people started using it as a sticky bookmark instead!

As a young boy, Frank Epperson discovered how to make popsicles (ice-candy) after leaving his water and powdered soda mix outside in the cold San Francisco winter.

Do you know of any people in Japan who have discovered things by accident that could be considered a serendipitous happy accident?

Bye,

Chris

December 18 – desire

December 18 – desire

December 18, 2019 =========

☆  desire 強く願う

============================

If you desire something, you want it. This is a formal word, mostly used in writing. If you desire a different word to use when speaking, you can try any of these:

want
crave
hope for
long for
wish for
yearn for
set one’s heart on

It is OK to use the verb desire when speaking of course. It’s just a bit more formal than the words in the list above. So, it wouldn’t be unusual to hear the question, “What do you truly desire?” from a coach or someone helping you with goal setting. However, in your answer, you would probably choose one of the other words to reply. So, instead of saying,Read more about December 18 – desire[…]

December 17 – connect

December 17 – connect

December 17, 2019 =========

☆  connect つなぐ

============================

Have you ever thought about serendipity in real life and serendipity in the digital world? In real life, we connect with others naturally throughout the day. Each of these interactions could lead to a delightful and inspiring event, or it might not. We usually think of things that happening through this kind of connecting with others as a “happy accident.” Also known as serendipity. 

On the other hand, when we connect to things and people through the Internet, Google and other search engines are using algorithms to connect us with the people and things they think are important. When we enter search terms into the search engine,Read more about December 17 – connect[…]

December 16 – appreciate

December 16 – appreciate

December 16, 2019 =========

☆  appreciate 感謝する

============================

One of the useful phrases this week is, “I really appreciate what I have.” Is this phrase true for you? Do you appreciate what you have? Or are you more likely to compare what you have with what others have? Many people think that rich people are happy, but research shows that there are happy poor people and there are unhappy rich people. The amount of money is not important, what determines happiness is how much you appreciate what you already have.

Do you count your blessings and take time to appreciate what you have? I don’t think I do appreciate what I have as much asRead more about December 16 – appreciate[…]

December 15 – language

December 15 – language

December 15, 2019 =========

☆  language 言語

============================

One of the useful phrases for this week is, “What your language, you might attract something you don’t want.” This idea is directly from the Law of Attraction idea, right? If you are continually complaining and using language that expresses your disappointment, then that is what you will attract.

So, by being mindful of your language and the words you use, can improve your well-being and increase your enjoyment of life. Instead of reacting, we need to breathe in deeply, take your time to reflect and choose your language carefully before responding.

It’s not easy though! Especially as a parent, I find it hard to not react immediately!Read more about December 15 – language[…]

December 14 – synchronicity

December 14 – synchronicity

December 14, 2019 =========

☆  synchronicity 同時性

============================

The dictionary definition of synchronicity is the simultaneous occurrence of events that appear to be highly related but do not seem to have any causal connection. It’s also a concept, that Carl Jung first used in psychology to refer to “meaningful coincidences”, where things seem to be related but also don’t seem to have a connection.

Do you think this is similar to the meaning of serendipity as being a “happy accident”?

I used to think that the two were similar, however, a coincidence is quite different from an accident… and to be honest, not all synchronicity is happy – meaningful, yes, but not always happy. So, allRead more about December 14 – synchronicity[…]

December 13 – blessing

December 13 – blessing

December 13, 2019 =========

☆  blessing 祝福

============================

A blessing is something good that you are grateful for. For example, “The recent rains are a blessing for the farmers.” Or, “Her new baby has been a real blessing.”

There are a couple of idioms that use today’s word, too. Firstly, “Count your blessings.” This means that you think the person should be grateful for what they have and think about how lucky they are, instead of complaining.

Secondly, if something is “a blessing in disguise” you mean that something caused problems and difficulties at first, but later you realized it was the best thing that could have happened.

And thirdly, if a situation is a “mixed blessing”Read more about December 13 – blessing[…]

December 12 – well-being

December 12 – well-being

December 12, 2019 =========

☆  well-being 幸福

============================

Your well-being is your health and happiness. It is the state of being happy, healthy and contented. There are many things that can influence your well-being:

– enjoying your work
– enough money
– regular exercise
– healthy food and water
– quality sleep
– good relationships with a partner and friends

And of course, all of these things interact with each other, to create a high level of well-being. What else do you think affects your well-being?

Bye,

Chris

December 11 – vibration

December 11 – vibration

December 11, 2019 =========

☆  vibration 振動

============================

In recent years, there has been a lot of information about our vibration, and how it can affect what happens to us. For example, the Law of Attraction idea is that if we raise our vibration, then we can improve our lives and attract better things into our lives.

I found quite a few results on Google about increasing your vibration in order to increase your serendipity. There are many videos and articles by Joanna McEwen, who is a qualified Sound Therapist. She refers to Emoto’s book, The Secret Life of Water, to show the differences between positive and negative sound and how those vibrations can affectRead more about December 11 – vibration[…]

December 10 – momentum

December 10 – momentum

December 10, 2019    =========

☆  momentum 機運

============================

If you start to gain momentum, then what you are doing starts happening more quickly, and is less likely to stop. You can use this word to describe projects at work, or goals that you are working on, or even to describe a small side business you have started for example. Here are some examples:

The project at work is really gaining momentum.
I started a small hobby business, but if I can maintain the momentum, it might become a full-time job for me!
His election campaign has been losing momentum since the interview last week.
As I get closer to my goal, I can feel my momentum increasing.

CanRead more about December 10 – momentum[…]

December 9 – secret

December 9 – secret

December 9, 2019   =========

☆  secret 秘密

============================

In western culture, it’s usual to make a wish as you cut your birthday cake. The thing is though, you are supposed to keep your wish a secret. You’re not allowed to tell anyone what you wished for.

Most kids wish for more things, but they’ve already had their birthday presents, so it’s unlikely that wish will come true! And, then if they make a wish for something other than “things”, it’s a secret, so again, it’s unlikely for that wish to come true!

Strange, really. It would be better to tell everyone your wishes and goals, right? If you keep them a secret, who is goingRead more about December 9 – secret[…]

December 8 – magnetic

December 8 – magnetic

December 8, 2019      =========

☆  magnetic 人を引きつける

============================

If you describe someone or something as magnetic, you mean that it is very attractive to people, usually because it has unusual, or exciting qualities. For example, you might describe a person as having a magnetic personality – meaning that they pull people in, people are drawn to them.

When you talk about your goals or dreams, you want them to have a magnetic quality, so that they kind of pull you toward them, and make reaching those goals and dream easier. You can make your goals more magnetic by visualizing them as though you have achieved them – kind of like making a movie inRead more about December 8 – magnetic[…]

December 7 – confusing

December 7 – confusing

December 7, 2019 =========

☆  confusing 混乱させるような

============================

This time of years is a bit confusing for me as a parent… especially as my kids get older. I love everything about Christmas except for two things – firstly, everyone spends way too much money and buys things they don’t need, and secondly, basically the Elf on the Shelf and the whole Santa story are made up, not real.

This is confusing for me, because I don’t want to lie to my kids, but I also want them to believe in the magic of Christmas, even if it is me that makes the “magic”… It’s also confusing for the kids, because of course some ofRead more about December 7 – confusing[…]

December 6 – believable

December 6 – believable

December 6, 2019 =========

☆  believable 信じることができる

============================

So, on the topic of being believable, when Bubbles our Elf “arrived” magically at our house from the shop… I mean, from the North Pole. Ha ha! I wasn’t sure that my kids would find him believable. I mean, it’s a tiny doll, that is supposed to have magical powers and fly to the North Pole each night?? Really?? It doesn’t sound very believable, right?

But my kids love Bubbles the Elf, and they love finding him in a different location each morning. It’s funny to watch them run around the house looking for him. I try to keep his new location believable, and luckily when IRead more about December 6 – believable[…]

December 5 – persuasive

December 5 – persuasive

December 5, 2019 =========

☆  persuasive 説得力のある

============================

We have an “Elf of the Shelf” in our house during December… Have you heard of them? It’s a small elf doll, that comes from Santa’s home to watch over kids, and make sure they are being good. Each night, the Elf (ours is called Bubbles) becomes magical, and he returns to the North Pole, to let Santa know if they kids have been naughty or nice. Then Bubbles comes back by morning time…

Believe it or not, this is a very persuasive way to get kids to be good! Unfortunately, his “magical” powers need some “help” from me each night! When he comes back from theRead more about December 5 – persuasive[…]

December 4 – attentive

December 4 – attentive

December 4, 2019 =========

☆  attentive 注意深い

============================

Being attentive means that you are paying close attention. I think being attentive is a great way to make sure you notice all the serendipity going on around you, right? Do you have a friend that seems to be really lucky and always getting what they want? Are they really luckier than you or are they just being more attentive, and therefore noticing more of the good things?

This is one of the reasons people suggest keeping a gratitude diary, right? Because in order to find one or two or three things to feel gratitude for each day, you need to be really attentive. And once youRead more about December 4 – attentive[…]

December 3 – magical

December 3 – magical

December 3, 2019      =========

☆  magical 魔法のような

============================

A place, object, or thing that has happen is magical when it has a mysterious quality that makes it seem wonderful and exciting. When something happens through serendipity, it generally seems magical, right?

A happy coincidence that you bumped into a friend you had been thinking about.
A phone call from your mom when you knew you should call her.
Finding the exact dress that you were looking for – on sale!

What magical things have been happening in your life recently?

Bye,

Chris

December 2 – emotional

December 2 – emotional

December 2, 2019      =========

☆  emotional  感情的な

============================

This week’s useful phrase is, “It’s important to have an emotional connection to your goal.” Many self-help gurus talk about this idea; it’s great to have goals, but without an emotional connection to them, it’ll be hard to continue with the goal if you hit a block.

In fact, you’ve probably heard of SMART goals, but what about CLEAR goals? CLEAR goals include the emotional side of goals.

Collaborate
Listen
Empathize
Adapt
Reward

The SMART goals idea is focused on results, but the CLEAR idea adds the human – in other words, emotional – element. Achieving goals usually requires the help of others, so that is why Collaborate, Listen, and Empathize areRead more about December 2 – emotional[…]

December 1 – manifest

December 1 – manifest

December 1, 2019     =========

☆  manifest  明示する

============================

The dictionary meaning of manifest is that something – a quality, feeling, or even illness – manifests itself, and becomes visible or obvious. However, in more recent times, it has been more about manifesting changes that you want or things that you want in your life.

Have you ever watched the movie or read the book, The Secret (2006). After that book became so famous worldwide, it was clear that a lot of people were using the word, “manifest” to make positive things happen in their lives. So, for example, to manifest a new job, or to manifest a new boyfriend, and apparently, it’s possible toRead more about December 1 – manifest[…]

November 30 – supplies

November 30 – supplies

November 30, 2019 =========

☆  supplies 必需品

============================

We have a Costco here in Adelaide, finally! They opened a few years ago. They are a great place for stocking up on pet supplies at a slightly cheaper price. They sell dog food, of course, but they sell other supplies, such as dog beds and blankets, which is useful.

What about in Japan? I know there are a few Costco stores, but where else can you buy pet supplies? Is it generally cheap to buy pet supplies? I remember there being many stores in Tokyo that sold dog clothes and fancy leads and toys for dogs. They weren’t cheap though!

Is there a local pet store whereRead more about November 30 – supplies[…]

November 29 – affection

November 29 – affection

November 29, 2019 =========

☆  affection 愛情

============================

The third sample answer is, “I’d love a cat, but they don’t show much affection.” What do you think? Is that true? The cat I had as a teenager showed affection, I think. Just not all the time. When she was a kitten, it was sooo cute, she always wanted to ride on my shoulders. If I was sitting down, she would sleep on my shoulders, balancing between the sofa and my shoulders.

When she got bigger, she was really too heavy, but she still loved to balance on my shoulders. Even when I was walking, she would try to stay on my shoulders. It was veryRead more about November 29 – affection[…]

November 28 – odor

November 28 – odor

November 28, 2019 =========

☆  odor におい

============================

OK, so this is not on the topic of odors, but sometimes, Facebook is so creepy! Here I am writing emails to you each day about animals and living with pets, right? Today, I opened my Facebook page, and there was a notification about an event I might be interested in… “Communicating with animals.” Ha ha! Facebook is reading my emails… That’s creepy!

Anyway, let’s talk about odors. One thing I love about my dog, is that he is short-haired, so he really doesn’t have an odor. Of course, he smells like a dog, but he doesn’t have an offensive odor, that makes me want to washRead more about November 28 – odor[…]

November 27 – vet

November 27 – vet

November 27, 2019 =========

☆  vet  獣医

============================

Choosing a vet is so important, I think. I loved our vet in Japan. He was kind and gentle with my dogs. And he was also a dog trainer, so on the weekend, I took my dogs to his training classes, to help them be more obedient.

When I came back to Australia, I went to a vet recommended by my neighbor. He was great, but his specialty, believe it or not, was actually exotic birds! We kept going there, though, as he was kind and close to our house. Then about two years ago, his new staff member told us that our dog was sick, andRead more about November 27 – vet[…]

November 26 – room

November 26 – room

November 26, 2019 =========

☆  room スペース

============================

One of the other sample answers is, “None right now, I don’t have room.” In Japan, that was how I felt about getting a pet, so for a long while I had fish! They were great. So beautiful, and they didn’t need much room.

Unfortunately, during the Tohoku earthquake, their tank was rocked about so much that it smashed and the fish were still alive but had no home. It was quite devastating. So, after that experience, I decided that even though I love tropical fish, and they do not take up much room, I would not keep fish as a pet any more.

Bye,

Chris

November 25 – breed

November 25 – breed

November 25, 2019 =========

☆  breed 品種

============================

This month’s Q&A is “What kind of pet would you love to have?” And one of the sample answers is, “A dog – any breed would be fine!” In the past, this would have been my answer, but now that I have had the Italian Greyhound breed as a pet, I don’t know if I could have any other breed! They are just so wonderful!! Ha ha!

That’s the thing about pets in general, I think. Once you have a great pet, it doesn’t really matter what the breed is. However, if you fall in love with a certain breed it is definitely hard to choose anotherRead more about November 25 – breed[…]

November 24 – obedient

November 24 – obedient

November 24, 2019 =======

☆  obedient 従順な

============================

Another useful phrase word for this week, “Your dog is so obedient.” I love watching obedient dogs with their owners. Of course, they are well-trained, so that is fun to watch. But more than that, you can tell that there is an important and special bond that the owner and dog. The dog is obedient because he (or she!) trusts their owner.

On the other hand, you can find well-trained dogs that are obedient but there is no real bond or “love” for the owner. I’ve seen that in the case where the dog is purely trained as an attack dog, or a guard dog for aRead more about November 24 – obedient[…]

November 23 – pampered

November 23 – pampered

November 23, 2019 =========

☆  pampered 甘やかされた

============================

If your pet is pampered, they are spoiled and indulged a lot more than a pet probably should be! Our dog is pretty pampered nowadays. When we had two dogs, they stayed in their cage overnight, it was their bed. However, since the older dog died, the younger one has been stressed and refused to sleep in the cage anymore.

So, now he gets to sleep in a nice warm bed with someone in our family. That’s pretty pampered, I think. He’s not sleeping ON the bed. He’s sleeping IN it!! A bit TOO pampered really…

How about you? Do you have a pet? Are they pampered?

Bye,

Chris

November 22 – exotic

November 22 – exotic

November 22, 2019 =========

☆  exotic 外来の

============================

One of the week’s useful phrases is, “My friend keeps exotic birds.” In other words, the friend has birds from exotic, distant, foreign locations, at his (or her!) house that are his pets. When I was growing up, my mum loved her parakeet, but that is hardly an exotic bird. Everyone keeps them!

Nowadays, though, exotic birds are becoming much more popular. Because of this, there are strict regulations and laws to stop people from illegally importing or breeding them. They can also carry diseases that we don’t have in Australia, so when they come here from exotic locations, there are a lot of medical checks theyRead more about November 22 – exotic[…]

November 21 – domestic

November 21 – domestic

November 21, 2019 =========

☆  domestic 国産の

============================

I have a feeling that the Japanese translation is not quite right, today.

When we talk about domestic animals, we don’t mean animals that are from that country. For example, in Australia, we have koalas, kangaroos, and dingoes, but they are not domestic Australian animals. This is not the correct use of domestic. To describe that situation, you would say that koalas, kangaroos, and dingoes are native Australian animals, not domestic animals.

A domestic animal is one that is not wild, and is either kept on a farm to produce food, such as pigs and cows. Or, they are kept at a home as a pet, by theirRead more about November 21 – domestic[…]

November 20 – healthy

November 20 – healthy

November 20, 2019 =========

☆  healthy 元気な

============================

The American Heart Association say it supports research that says that owning a pet can decrease your risk of heart disease and keep you healthy. They say that owning a pet lowers cholesterol, stress, and blood pressure.

In addition, owning a dog will keep you healthy in another way, too. As dogs require regular walks, their human owner gets healthy from these regular walks, too! I believe this was true for me. Before getting dogs, I rarely did exercise. After getting dogs, I walked more, then started running, and now I am training for a marathon! Thanks to my dogs, I am very healthy!

Bye,

Chris

November 19 – clean

November 19 – clean

November 19, 2019 =========

☆  clean きれいな

============================

One reason I chose Italian Greyhounds for a pet was because they have a reputation as being very clean dogs. They are short-haired, so there is never much dog hair to vacuum up.

The breeder also told us that they tend to keep their sleeping area very clean, and never have accidents in their bed. I don’t know about other breeds; however, I would assume that most dogs would prefer a clean sleeping area and therefore do their best not to pee or poo in their own bed!

Do you have a pet? Are they generally clean and easy to keep clean?

Bye,

Chris

November 18 – playful

November 18 – playful

November 18, 2019 =========

☆  playful 遊び好きな

============================

Many people get a dog rather than a cat as a pet because they have the image of being more playful, I think. Puppies and kittens are both playful, but dogs tend to stay playful for longer, whereas once the kitten becomes a cat, they are generally less playful.

Sometimes I meet people walking their dogs, and even though the dog is old and grey, they are still playful with my younger dog. I love seeing animals being playful with each other. So much fun to watch!

If you were going to choose a pet to live with, would you look for a playful pet or a calmRead more about November 18 – playful[…]

November 17 – feed

November 17 – feed

November 17, 2019 =========

☆  feed 餌をあげる

============================

One of the useful phrases this week is, “How often do you feed him?” I have used this before, at the vet. I was taking my Italian Greyhound to see the vet, and there was a woman there with her true-size greyhound. The dog was so beautiful, but very big! 

So, I asked her, “How often do you feed him?” She replied, “It’s a she, not a he.” So, then I asked, “Sorry! How often do you feed her?” She said that she fed her cooked chicken breast three times a day. So, naturally I asked “How much do you feed her each time?” She said aboutRead more about November 17 – feed[…]

November 16 – vaccinate

November 16 – vaccinate

November 16, 2019 =========

☆  vaccinate 予防接種をする

============================

Interestingly, as I mentioned yesterday, although you can get a discount on your animal registration yearly fees if you have desexed your pet, there is no discount whether or not you vaccinate your pet.

I guess because most people will happily vaccinate their pet, to make sure that they don’t get sick, right? In Japan, our vet would send us reminders whenever our dogs were due to be vaccinated. However, in Australia, our vet has never reminded us, ever! It’s up to us, to vaccinate or not.

In order to bring the dogs to Australia, we had to show proof that they had been vaccinated, but once weRead more about November 16 – vaccinate[…]

November 15 – desex

November 15 – desex

November 15, 2019 =========

☆  desex 去勢する

============================

When you desex an animal, you take away it’s reproductive system so that it cannot have babies. One of the best ways to avoid the animal rescue shelters from becoming too full is to desex your pets so that only licensed breeders can produce puppies or kittens for sale.

Unfortunately, many people in Australia don’t desex their animal, for some reason. Some say it is cruel, some want a “tough” dog, not a desexed dog, others worry that it will change their personality. So, to combat this, the government introduced higher registration fees for pets that have not been desexed. It’s quite an expensive fee to payRead more about November 15 – desex[…]

November 13 – adopt

November 13 – adopt

November 13, 2019 =========

☆  adopt 養子にする

============================

One of the useful phrases this week is, “My motto is ‘adopt don’t shop’” … the idea behind this is that it is better to adopt animal that doesn’t have a home, so that it doesn’t need to be put down by the shelter. So, instead of buying a new puppy from a pet shop, adopt a rescue dog instead.

What do you think of this idea?

I got my Italian Greyhounds from a breeder. That was his business, and he only bred this kind of dog. He also had a pet hotel so the dogs could stay with him if you needed to go away. And heRead more about November 13 – adopt[…]

November 12 – prepare

November 12 – prepare

November 12, 2019 =========

☆  prepare      準備する

============================

There’s a lot to prepare when you buy a pet and bring them home. First, they need a place to sleep. Then you need to prepare a place for them to eat and drink their food and water. If you’re getting a cat, you’ll probably need a litter-tray for their toilet, right?

When we got our dog, we prepared everything for him – a cute little bed, a nice place for him to sleep at night and during the day. However, from the moment we came home, there was no way he was going to sleep in his bed. He only ever wanted to sleep on myRead more about November 12 – prepare[…]

November 11 – groom

November 11 – groom

November 11, 2019 =========

☆  groom 毛づくろいをする

============================

If you groom an animal, you clean its fur, usually by brushing it. Oh my goodness, as you know from my other emails, we live near a big oval. So, a lot of people bring their big dogs to this park to groom them!

Some days, when it’s windy and someone has groomed their dog, you can see big lumps of dog hair blowing across the oval!! I’m not kidding! People bring their Malamutes, Golden Retrievers and other big dogs to the oval, sit on the bench and groom them… all of the hair falls out, and blows across the oval and playground!

I love dogs, but ummRead more about November 11 – groom[…]