I like baseball. I'm into baseball. Previously I used to just watch a game on TV, but recently I've joined a local baseball team and enjoy playing it on Sundays. I like not only watching a baseball game but also playing it.

A friend of mine started his own coffee shop. Today. I went to a coffee shop which a friend of mine just started few weeks ago. He made me a cup of coffee and hotdog and brought me them with unpracticed hands. But both were much more delicious than I expected. He told me that he had been trying to improve the tastes for a long time. Since the shop was just opened, he must have a lot of things to develop. I hope many people go there and feel happy to drink a cup of coffee he makes　in the near future.

the last rehearsal for the upcoming gig. Our band is going to perform at a music club next Saturday. Since it was our last rehearsal today, we all concentrated on every tune. And we've got confident because we found some points to be improved and played around these part over and over again. After that, we went to a Chinese restaurant where we regularly go when finishing our rehearsals. We ate and drink a lot, and we talked about today's rehearsal. We had a happy talk for a couple of hours. I'm looking forward to the upcoming gig. I can't wait.

I am trying to put an article into English: part 1 Original Japanese version: http://toyokeizai.net/articles/-/14202 (title) The reason Japanese get along well with Philippine - an Asian country knows the Western feelings (preface) Philippines is one of the most familiar countries in Asia for a long time. Have you ever thought about the reason? Their unique national character of Philippines is the background factor. I heard from Dita Angara Mathay, a councilor of the Department of Commerce and Froilan Emil D. Pamintuan a commercial attache about these Philippine traits unknown well in Japan, English education in fashion, and nannies. (題名) 日本人とフィリピン人の“ウマが合う”理由 アジアにあって、西欧のノリがわかる国？ (序文) 日本人にとってフィリピンは長年、アジアの中でももっとも親しみの持てる国のひとつだ。その理由について、考えてみたことがあるだろうか？ その背景には、フィリピン人ならではのユニークな国民性がある。知られざるその特徴について、また、最近話題の英語教育、ナニーについてまで、フィリピン大使館の商務参事官の ディタ・アンガラ・マサイさんと、商務官のフロライン・エミルD. パミントアンさんに聞いた。

ability A colleague said to me that he has low ability for work and does not make much effort. And he also said that he did not know how to enhance his ability and how to get work better. In my view, he is smart enough and is making an effort at work. I have no idea what can make him satisfied, but I am ready to listen to him anytime.

What is your role in a conversation? Q: What is your role in a conversation? Do you dominate? Do you subordinate? A: I'm better at responding to the others than dominating a conversation. First of all, I like listening to the others talking. Although I've never measured the time how long I spend talking during conversation, I guess it's less than 50%.

What do you have some good habits in conversation? I have one thing that I am taking notice of. Although I am not sure that I can say this is a good habit, that is to listen to them. It means to try to know what they actually want to say. Although I take it for granted, not a few people do not seem to do that.

the conversational style of a great conversationalist In my view, which might be contrary to general thoughts in Japan, a smart conversationalist is more likely to try to convince people in an attractive way. Their conversational style is occasionally regarded as a intrusive admonition. But, they can catch people by their words with their strong will and confidence. After conversation, people might be getting fascinated unconsciously.

How to talk with a person who I don't know well: Introduction How to talk with a person who I don't know well: Introduction I look for their positiveness at first. When I find how positive they are, I adapt myself to their conversational styles. Positives tend to like positive conversation , and vice versa. Second, their proactivity. When I talk with those who are not proactive, I will ask much more than with proactives. Since I am a job hopper, relatively in Japan, I could gain some friends with similar job. On the other hand, I have some occasion that many musicians, who are amateur like me, get together for performance. I mainly talk about our works with my friends who came to know at work, and talk about music with my friends who came to know through music. I like a thoughtful conversation. I like to think about the essence of matter, not the superficies of it.