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weekend recap

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-seven years and one million words

Tokyo, 2009.02.09

The following is an account of my weekend in Japanese. I did this for my homework this weekend.

こん 週まつ、かぞく と 時間 を すごしました。 金曜日の午ご、はたらいて、子供と  おふろに 入りました。それから、ひろおで、友達に会って、よるごはん を 食べました。友 達は 前のクラスの生と です。私の 新しい 会社のことを 話しました。友達は おもしろい アイデア が ありました。

This weekend, I spent a lot of time with my family. On Friday afternoon, I worked and then had a bath with my son. We met some friends in Hiroo to have dinner. The friends were classmates from my old [Japanese] class. We spoke about my new business venture. My friends had some good ideas.

土曜日 に、友達は 問だいが ありました。サムさんのおじいさんは しにました。だから サムさんは 土曜日の朝 いぎりすへ 行きました。けい子さんが サムさんのおくさん で、 松ちゃんが むす子で、あかりちゃんが むすめ です。けい子さんは 松ちゃんと ほけんセ ンターへ 行きたかった です。でも 子供 二人 と 行きたくなかった から けい子さんは うちに あかりちゃん を つれてきました。あかりちゃんが 建くんのおなじとしごろの子供 だから、あかりちゃんは 建くんと あそびました。

On Saturday, a friend had a problem. Sam's grandfather had died, so Sam had to fly to the UK on Saturday morning. His wife is Keiko-san, his son is Ma-chan and his daughter is Akari-chan. Keiko-san wanted to take Ma-chan to the local gym, but couldn't take both children so she dropped off Akari-chan with us. Akari-chan is the same age as Ken, so they played together.

土曜日の午ご、「DPE」で フィルムを 買って、会社のしごと を しました。よるごはんの前に、 建くんと あそびました。つまは おいしいごはん を つくって、食べる時、いぎりすのテレビ  を 見ました。よるごはん あと で、建くんと おふろに 入りました。

On Saturday afternoon, I went to the DPE to [pick up] some film (I actually wrote 'buy' some film, because I don't know how to write that I picked up developed film). After that I did some more work for my new business. Before dinner, I played with Kenny. Then Mari made a delicious dinner and while we ate we watched an English television show. After dinner my son and I bathed.

All pretty primitive stuff. Only the expression "while we ate..." was new to me in this case. Unfortunately we've been studying things that mostly couldn't be applied in this case for some reason, so my sentances are pretty simple. It's at the "see Spot run" level.

rand()m quote

Naturally the common people don't want war: Neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.

Hermann Goering