Easter and Amazing Grace

2025年04月21日

Amazing Grace how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I’m found, was blind, but now I see.

These famous lyrics, written by John Newton in 1779, have been sung countless times by millions upon millions of people around the world. John Newton, having seen his sinfulness, found forgiveness, redemption and a deep relationship with God through the free gift of grace that is spoken of in the Bible.

So, how does this song connect with Easter? Easter, while celebrating the coming of spring, also celebrates the death and resurrection of Jesus which, on a side note, is believed to have taken place in early April. Jesus’ death and resurrection were the full demonstration of God’s Amazing Grace upon humanity. Throughout time, people have been trying to have a relationship with God through their efforts hoping that the good they do outweighs the bad. They have been trying to stand before God on their own merit.

However, God requires perfection, and since this is impossible, this is where Amazing Grace comes in. Through Jesus we can have that relationship with God that John Newton wrote about because our relationship with God is no longer based on our own merit but on the prefect merit of Jesus. Jesus did what we could not do so that we could have what every heart longs for, a right relationship with God. That is why Amazing Grace and Easter are forever connected. We cannot have one without the other.

Therefore, I sing with a thankful heart the words of John Newton’s timeless song. Amazing Grace how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I’m found, was blind but now I see.     Erik

Did you know April 11th is Pet Day?

2025年04月18日

Did you know April 11th is Pet Day? Pet Day honors the bond between humans and their pets, recognizing the joy, companionship, and love they bring. This day promotes pet adoption, responsible care, and appreciation for all animals. Pets, whether dogs, cats, birds, or reptiles, offer emotional support, reduce stress, and encourage active lifestyles. This day also highlights the importance of regular vet care, and providing safe, loving homes.
Celebrations include spoiling pets with treats, toys, or extra playtime, visiting shelters to volunteer or adopt, and sharing pet stories online. Events at pet stores or parks often feature activities like pet parades or training workshops.
Pet Day reminds us of the mutual benefits of pet ownership—pets gain homes, and humans gain loyal companions. It also sheds light on shelter animals needing love. By fostering compassion and responsibility, this day strengthens the human-animal bond, encouraging everyone to make a difference in a pet’s life. So, have a good day with your pet.
Rick

Do you like apples?

2025年04月7日

Who doesn’t, after all “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.”.

Or is it? Actually, statistically speaking, it’s not the case but nevertheless it doesn’t hurt eating one every day.

 

How about the other Apple? The one with the bite taken out of it.

Do you carry one in your pocket all day, every day?

Well, it was founded on April 1st, almost 50 years ago by a man whose ego was bigger than his company would ever become, Steve Jobs. His company has transformed into a tech giant with a staggering 51.9% (2024) market share in Japan, the fourth-largest market for iPhones in the world. Yet, behind the sleek design and shiny logos lies a narrative far less glamorous.

Steve Jobs, the so-called visionary, was not the benevolent leader many revere today.

He admitted cheating his best friend out of a design competition prize money ($5,000 in 1976!!)— an act that foreshadowed a pattern of behavior characterized by self-interest, pettiness and cruelty. With a friend like that who needs enemies, right? He lied about being the father of the girl his girlfriend gave birth to, Lisa, and let them live in poverty while he was rich already. He fired employees on the spot for the minutest reasons. When in the hospital Jobs notoriously went through 67 nurses, before settling with the final 3 for the remainder of his days, not for better care but perhaps as a reflection of his unbearable ego. He was reportedly cruel to employees, family members, and even strangers—just a delightful human being, right?

A despicable man if there ever was one. By the way, he never learned how to write computer code.

 

Now let’s talk about the product. Despite fans declaring that an iPhone is superior, let’s not kid ourselves: it’s an overpriced fashion accessory. It has smaller storage space, less memory, smaller battery, it takes longer to charge and it takes lower quality pictures than many other smart phones from other manufacturers. It is also more expensive. So then why the popularity?

Why, you ask?

Well, one word: marketing.

However, in case you didn’t know, Apple’s manufacturing is outsourced primarily to two Taiwanese companies, Foxconn and Pegatron, with assembly mostly occurring in China. So, whether you’re clutching a Huawei, an OPPO, a OnePlus or an iPhone, the reality is the same—they all use almost identical parts from the same global suppliers. Yet, you’re paying a handsome premium simply for that glowing Apple logo.

Doesn’t that little cute Android look better now than the slightly rotten Apple?

 

And I don’t know about you but I’d rather hold that blue, or white, OnePlus device swimming in water, then that ugly piece of hardware Jobs is clutching in his greedy hand.                 Alex

【会員様限定】第1回英検申込開始いたします！

2025年04月1日

5月31日（土）に本校（準会場）で行われます

「2025年度第1回実用英語技能検定試験」の申込みを開始いたします。

（会員様限定）

申込期間：4月1日（火）〜4月25日（金）

ご希望の方は受付にてお申込みをお願いいたします。

English Cafe Topic ～ イングリッシュ・カフェ4月のトピック

2025年04月1日

「イングリッシュ・カフェ」クラスは

毎回身近な話題を通して文化や習慣について英語で話し合います。

コーディネーターの外国人講師が適切な英語表現をアドバイスしてくれます。

4月の各週のトピックは次のようになります。

2025　April

【Monday : Erik】

7th:   How do you protect your personal data?

14th:  What is your/your family’s favorite fast food chain and why?

21st:  What needs to be done about crime in the Shinjuku area (Kabuki-cho)?

28th:  What are your thoughts about the decline in car ownership among young people?

Royal Ashbourne Shrovetide Football

2025年03月31日

This year will be held on Shrove Tuesday 4th March and Ash Wednesday 5th March 2025.

Unlike a conventional football match, Shrovetide Football is much longer than a regular football match and is played over two eight-hour periods. The goals are three miles apart at former mills and there are very few rules. The ball is rarely kicked but instead moves through a giant ‘hug’, not unlike a rugby scrum. There is no set pitch: the game is played throughout the entire town, so shops and businesses board up their windows in preparation!

The game starts on Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday at 2pm, when the ball is ‘turned up’ from a stone plinth on Shaw Croft car park in Ashbourne town centre. The ball is thrown into the air and into the ‘hug’ by the ‘turner up’, a respected local person chosen to do the honour. Famous ‘turner-ups’ have included Prince Charles and The Duke of Devonshire.

Once play begins, a large number of players try to move the ball to their goal by pushing against the opposition.

Players must follow the request of medical personnel, marshals and police at all times – and respect the town and its people.

There are records of mass football being played as early as 1667, but Ashbourne Royal Shrovetide’s origins are unknown due to a fire at the Royal Shrovetide Committee office in the 1890s, which destroyed the earliest records

But we know the modern game follows a very similar format to how it would have looked centuries ago, with tradition at its core, and sportsmanship and rivalry at its beating heart.

So, every Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday the town is divided by the Henmore Brook. Traditionally, those born north of the river are Up’ards, and those born south of it are Down’ards.

The match continues until 10pm. If the goal is scored (goaled) before 6pm a new ball is released and play restarts. However, play ends for the day if a ball is goaled after 6pm. To goal a ball the players must first reach the sites of the former mills, and then jump into the river and hit the ball against a mill stone, mounted in a plinth, three times.

Graduation and Things Coming to an End

2025年03月24日

March marks that time of year when graduations take place across Japan. Students have completed a phase of their school life and are celebrating what they have accomplished. English has a number of idioms about things coming to an end, so in this blog let’s look at a few.

 

Close the chapter on something:  to end something significant (school, job, relationship, etc.)

Twelfth graders are often excited close the chapter on high school so they can have more freedom.

They closed the chapter on living in Tokyo and moved to Hokkaido.

End of the road: when something can no longer continue

Hana and Mia were sad that it was the end of the road for high school because after graduation they were going to different universities.

They had a very successful business, but they knew it was the end of the road for it when their son said he didn’t want to take it over.

 

End on a high note: to finish something positively or successfully

She ended school life on a high note with her best test score ever.

By winning the last game, the soccer team ended the season on a high note.

 

Throw in the towel: to give up or admit defeat

After failing at growing vegetables, he decided to throw in the towel and try something different.

The baseball coach threw in the towel once his team was behind by 10 run and put in all the second-string players.

To run out of steam: to lose energy or motivation and stop doing something

After a long day at work, she ran out of steam and went to bed without eating dinner.

The students seemed to run out of steam at the end of the school year

Erik

Birthday

2025年03月17日

Since my birthday is coming up, I thought I would give you a little history (compliments of the Grok AI) about birthdays.

“The celebration of birthdays has a rich and varied history, stretching back thousands of years. The earliest known birthday festivities likely originated in ancient Egypt around 3000 BCE, where pharaohs marked their “birth” as gods upon coronation, rather than their actual birth dates. These events were steeped in divine significance, setting a precedent for honoring individuals on specific days. In ancient Greece, birthdays took a more personal turn. Greeks celebrated the birthdays of gods like Artemis, with offerings of cakes adorned with candles symbolizing moonlight. This practice influenced mortal celebrations, where cakes and candles became symbols of good fortune. The Romans expanded this further, hosting lavish birthday feasts for elites, though commoners rarely marked the occasion. The tradition waned in early Christian Europe, as birthdays were seen as pagan and self-indulgent. However, by the 4th century, Christians began celebrating Jesus’ birth (Christmas), reviving interest in personal birthdays. The modern birthday as we know it—cakes, gifts, and parties—emerged in 18th-century Germany with “Kinderfeste,” children’s celebrations featuring candles for each year of life. Industrialization and mass production later made cakes, cards, and gifts widely accessible, cementing birthdays as a global tradition blending ancient reverence with modern festivity. Today, they’re a universal marker of personal milestones.”

Hope you have a good birthday this year.

Rick

【新規開講！】英検準2プラスクラス

2025年03月13日

【新規開講！】英検4・5級クラス【6回コース】

2025年03月13日