月別アーカイブ：2017年3月

It is finally beginning to feel more like Spring here in Matsuyama, and I couldn’t be happier. The cherry blossoms should begin blooming very soon, and I know personally I’m very excited. Cherry blossoms can also be found all over the United States. Many cities around the country host Cherry Blossom Festivals in March and April.

They are especially common on the West Coast, with most major cities having cherry blossoms in parks and botanical gardens. From Monterey and San Francisco in California, to Salem and Portland in Oregon, and even further north in Seattle Washington, you can find events celebrating cherry blossoms.

This week the National Cherry Blossom Festival takes place in Washington D.C., where the cherry blossoms have bloomed for over a hundred years. Unfortunately, the cold weather this year has damaged the blossoms and more than half were killed before reaching peak bloom. It should still be a beautiful sight, and fortunately the trees were not damaged.

Do you have any special plans for this weekend?

Alex

Abbreviations

An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase used mainly in writing to represent the complete form. It usually has a full-stop at the end.
Examples: Lib.  for Library

                   abbr.  for abbreviation

                   approx.  for approximate

Acronyms

An acronym is a pronounceable word formed mostly (but not always) from the initial letters of a descriptive name or title.
Examples: radar = radio detecting and ranging

                    ASAP = as soon as possible

The term initialism uses a similar method, but the word is pronounced letter by letter.

Example: BBC British Broadcasting Corporation or USA United States of America.
And last but not least, there are symbols and/or units of reference, like min for minute or kg for kilogram.

I won’t claim to fully understand the meaning of 物の哀れ (mono no aware) but I do believe it is what I look for in art, especially music. For me, music isn’t really entertainment. It’s something much more sacred, much more serious. 

I take to any style or instrumentation of music as long as there is some form of catharsis within it. Today it comes in the form of something peaceful to match this beautiful afternoon. Enjoy your reverie.

Joe

Yes. I have started counting down the days knowing that full bloom is still weeks away. It’s hard to avoid when shops have stocked their shelves with tempting ‘sakura’ items. Various goods range from tumblers and stationery, to teas, sweets and yes…even beer!

I look forward to cherry blossoms every year and enjoy picnics under the trees with my family and friends watching the lovely petals flutter down. I also love what it evokes – saying goodbye to the end of life’s many cycles and welcoming the beginning of new things to come. It’s beautiful.

There are a couple of famous songs I like listening to around this time of year. I really like Kobukuro’s Sakura song. The lyrics are melancholic, but the singer’s voice and the music is really moving. Ikimonogakari’s Sakura song is another one I like. It’s not as sad as Kobukuro’s song, but more reminiscent about events that have passed, and hopeful about the promises that we hold on to.

Do you have a favorite song about cherry blossoms?