Drive by - Train

KAT-TUN



I loveeeee this fan-art of Gonin!!! Junno-sama looks so handsome as the real him~~ (≧◡≦)

Cr: je-fanart"


The best fan-art so far. I love the oh-so-seductive Kamenashi and the innocent, boy-next-door-ish Nakamaru!! But I love them all! *dreamy eyes*




>>From KAT-TUN is Love Facebook fanpage.<<

Morimoto Brothers

 

  Aren't they one and the same?? Yes, they're brothers -- it was just now that I knew. Ryutaro is 2 years older than his ototo, Shintaro. No doubt, being adorable is in their genes. *^,^*

Takahashi-san

I was talking to Takahashi-san when a colleague called him on the phone. I heard a lot of, "Arigatougozaimashita," and "Sumimasendeshita," and (of course), "Hai!" 


I found it VERY amusing. 


^o^

Japanese Honorifics

For a non-Japanese like myself, Japanese honorifics/titles take some time of getting used to. For Japanese, they  automatically know how to address people even during their first meeting. (That goes without saying.) From my perspective, these name suffixes show what kind of relationship or the degree of closeness people have. Being a polite culture Japan is, they rarely call people only by their names (except on special instances).


-san (-さん
       > This is the default suffix that we use to address people older, younger or same age as you both for men and women. You'll never get wrong using this.
           e.g. Takahashi-san or Keiko-san
                  onii-san or onee-san
                  oka-san or oto-san
       > Japanese would say this is the equivalent of Ms. and Mr. (But I don't think so. Can you imagine calling someone forever as Ms.?)


-chan (ーちゃん
       > Instead of using -san, use -chan for kids or to people younger than you. Using this to people who are the same age or older (rarely) than you means you have a close relationship with them.
          e.g. Taka-chan or Keiko-chan
                 onii-chan or onee-chan
                 oka-chan or oto-chan


-kun (ーくん
        > Generally used for men who are younger or same age as you. Can also be used for boys and very rarely to girls/women. This also shows a certain degree of closeness.
          e.g. Takahashi-kun
                 Hiro-kun


-sama (ーさま
        > Used to show the highest form of respect also the most formal
           e.g. goshujin-sama (master/husband)
                  danna-sama (husband/master)
                  okyaku-sama (client/patron)
        > Even though this is the most formal, Japanese don't normally use this in the office setting. Like the examples above, this is used in shops or in houses (their butlers calling their masters or wife calling their husband).


-chama (ーちゃま
        > Instead of -sama, use -chama for kids; rarely used
           e.g. bocchama (instead of bou-chama; young master)
                  Misaki-bocchama (Young Master Misaki)


-chin (ーちん)
        > Used for boys and girls but not commonly used (as how I've observed it)
          e.g. Tamu-chin
                 Yano-chin


Remember that these are suffixes and should be used after a name. If a Japanese told you to just call him/her by his/her first name (no need to use any suffixes), it means s/he considers you a very good friend.
Texts in green are my side comments. ^^,
Texts in red are the suffixes in hiragana.

Tiny -- 1st Entry

It has been months when we first saw a small mass in the front gums of Tiny's mouth. We thought it was nothing serious -- something that will just disappear eventually. 


Mama, discreetly concerned, asked her friends who have dogs what could it be. Mama's friend recommended human antibiotics which we didn't take seriously. But it seemed to be growing which caught our attention so finally, 2 weeks ago, Mama and Papa brought him to their veterinarian friend. The doctor didn't exactly say what the mass is but she just prescribed ampicillin -- which we've been giving Tiny for a few days already. The cause -- old age. I, still not convinced that it was just old age, today brought Tiny to a different vet. I didn't like the diagnosis.


It is oral canine melanoma -- similar to skin cancer on humans only it appears inside the mouth of dogs. In Tiny's case, the tumor grew in his front gums beside his lower teeth. The more I research about it, the more worried I become. Articles say oral melanoma on dogs is usually malignant -- which requires surgery and chemotherapy. If ever the tumor is successfully removed, there is a big possibility that the cancer cells have metastasized somewhere else like in his lungs, or lymph nodes. Upon diagnosis of a malignant tumor, a dog is expected to live not beyond 5-8 months. Weirdly  enough, the cause is unknown but it normally occurs in old dogs and based on the vet's computation, Tiny is already 70 years old (in dog years, of course). 


Today before lunch in the animal clinic


VET: He has melanoma. (with just one look at Tiny)
My sister: Haha! Isn't that cancer? Skin cancer? *she says while looking at me*
Me: Yeah, that's what I know too. *turns to look at the vet*
VET: Yes, it's cancer.


Maybe my sister and I thought we heard wrong that's why we laughed but we did hear the correct word. The doctor said we'll observe Tiny for 2 weeks with the medication she prescribed plus the vitamins she gave. If there's no improvement, he has to have a biopsy and a test prior the surgery (because of his age, he has to take other examinations before undergoing the surgery). If his tumor is malignant (which I'm praying so hard not to happen) he will be needing a monthly chemotherapy.


Tiny is a relatively healthy aspin. He doesn't even show other symptoms other than bad breath and the growing mass in his gums. It's really hard for us to swallow this whole ordeal -- at least for me it's true. I'd really do everything just to save him.

Sticky Marker


あっちこっち 「Acchi Kocchi」


Currently hooked with this anime! I love the subtle and high school-ish love story between Io and Tsumiki! 

Morimoto Ryutaro, Hey! Say! Jump


Such a waste, this kid. Lots of talent but he had to give up showbiz because his secret got out (smoking). I wonder how does the writer/publication feel now that they've ruined someone's career. Smoking (at a very young age!) is bad but Morimoto as an idol doesn't encourage his fans to do it too. (Exactly the reason why it's supposed to be a secret vice for him.) I wish Johnny's can still bring him back, since a lot of fans still admire him.