Friday, January 31, 2014

Recipe: Apple cake using pancake mix and a frying pan! フライパンとホットケーキミックスで作る簡単アップルケーキ (For Shonna)


Ingredients:

Apples 2-3pcs
Pancake mix 1 package
Milk 150-200ml (depending on your pancake mix)
Egg 1pc
Sugar 3 tablespoons
Butter 1 tablespoon
Cinnamon powder






1. Cut apples into thin slices (about 5-8mm.) Leave the skin.


2. Put the sliced apples into the pan with butter. Cook them on medium high heat in the pan.


3. Add sugar and stir-fry them until the apples become soft.


4. While cooking the apples, prepare a bowl, an egg and milk.


5. Mix them well.


6. Add pancake mix.


7. Add some walnuts too if you'd like!


8. Sprinkle cinnamon powder on apples and stir them well.


9. When the apples became soft, turn off the heat.


10. Get another pan ready (a deeper kind) and place the apples as shown in the picture↑


11. Make sure that there is no space in between apples.


12. Yup, don't leave any space in the middle either! Apple it up!


13. Chopsticks come really handy when placing these apple slices! (Fork may work too, but it may break the apples?)


14. Pour the pancake mix over the apples in the pan.


15. Cover it.


16. Put it on low-low heat and bake covered for 15 minutes.


17.  To check if it's done, take a stick and poke the top of the cake slightly in the middle. If the stick comes up with some wet batter, crumbs or stickiness on it, the cake needs to bake some more. If it is dry, then the cake is done!


18. Now it's time to flip the apple cake! Place a big dinner table over the frying pan and flipping it over and Tada~~~! Doesn't it look good!!??


19. Bon appétit! 


Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Two poems by Tanikawa 谷川俊太郎「会う」& 「窓」英語新訳

SEEING YOU

It began with a picture book and a blurry photo
Then one day two large eyes and
A brusque hello
And then unconstrained characters in ink
Little by little, I started seeing you
Before touching your hands 
I touched your soul

—Shuntaro Tanikawa
(English translation by Naoko Smith)

会う
(『女に』より)

     谷川俊太郎

始まりは一冊の絵本とぼやけた写真
やがてある日ふたつの大きな目と
そっけないこんにちは
それからのびのびしたペン書きの文字
私は少しずつあなたに会っていった
あなたの手に触れる前に
魂に触れた


WINDOW


What's happening 
Is so simple but
The reason is complicated

The sunlight from the window 
Does not shine
Into my heart 

In the attic 
Rats run 
Afternoon 

Window is open
Overlapping flat liquid crystal
Without end

From there 
Can't see
Your eyes 

—Shuntaro Tanikawa
(English Translation by Naoko Smith)


(『minimal』より)

     谷川俊太郎

起こっていることは
こんなに単純なのに
その訳はこんぐらかって

窓からの陽射しが
心の中まで
さしてこない

天井裏を
鼠が走る
午後

平たい液晶に
限りなく重なって
開いている窓

そこからは
見えない
君の目



Saturday, January 18, 2014

Sputniko! スプツニ子!さんのこと

最近、とっても気になる人がいる。スプツニ子!さんという、理系アーティスト/MITメディアラボ助教授だ。クリスマスの頃に買った雑誌を何気なくめくっていたら、後ろの方に、彼女が書いた本「はみだす力」についての特集があって、そこでスプツニ子!さんの存在を知った。面白そうな人!と直感的に魅かれて、すぐに彼女のツイッターを覗いてみた。ツイッター上で彼女は、日本の人工知能学会の学会誌の表紙デザインを厳しく批判していた。下がその問題の表紙デザインで、うつろな目をした女の子のロボットが、ケーブルにつながれて掃除をしている、というもの。


人工知能学会の学会誌「人工知能」の表紙:人工知能学会のウェブサイトより
まじめな学会の表紙がそこいらの漫画みたいな表紙だったことにまず驚いたが、私がもっと驚いたのは、スプツニ子!さんが「フェミニストにありがちな過剰反応だ」とか「あなたの考えは偏ってる」と沢山の人(主に日本人の男性)に逆に叩かれていたことだ。それでも彼女はめげることなく、喧嘩をふっかける沢山の男たちを相手に、「国際的な視点を要求される学会誌の表紙に家事をする女性型ロボットが無自覚に起用されてしまったことが問題。性差別だ。米国で、学会誌が黒人のお掃除ロボットを表紙にしたら大問題になる!」と一歩も下がろうとしていなかった。また、某有名大でロボット研究をしている女の子がスプツニ子!さんのトークの後、「理系研究はオタクが多く、日本のヒューマノイド開発の対象は初音ミクや美少女ばかりで<都合のいい女>を競って開発するような環境に女性研究者として馴染めない」と話してくれたことも語り、「無意識で無邪気な性差別意識」にあふれる日本社会に対する危機感を訴えかけていた。

こんなに頼もしい女性がいたものか!と喜び勇んで、私は格好の獲物を見つけたライオンのように彼女のつぶやきに食いつき、下のような返事をツイートした:




そんなスプツニ子!さんが近々ラジオに出演することを知って、大晦日の深夜、NHKFMの特別番組「スプツニ子!はみだす力 2014 新春ラジオ」を聴いた。そこでも彼女は私の期待を裏切ることなく、とても興味深いことを言っていた。中でも私がなるほどな〜と思ったのは、来る2020年の東京オリンピックの開会式について。彼女は、大まじめに「正しい日本」を伝えようとしないで、遊び心を入れるのも必要だと語った。例えば、オリンピックのセキュリティーガード(ガードマン)が全員忍者のいでたちをしていて、入場券は手裏剣だったりすると、忍者好きの外国人なんかは大いに喜ぶんじゃないか、と言っていた。何故かというと、彼女はMITでアメリカ人によく忍者について聞かれたりするらしい。確かにそう、私もアメリカに10年以上住んでいたので、アメリカ人の忍者に対する強い憧れは熟知している。去年アメリカの大学で日本文化のクラスを教えた時も、「どうしてこの日本文化のクラスを受講しているの?」という質問に「忍者が好き。忍者についてもっと知りたいから」と、目をキラキラさせて語る学生に何人も会った。2年前に金沢を旅行した時に出会ったアイルランド人の男の子も、子供の頃からずっと忍者に魅せられていて、金沢にある忍者屋敷を見るために、日本に来たようなものだ、と言っていた。スプツニ子!さんは、GEISHAとか外国人の好きそうな、でも「ちょっと勘違いの日本」でもいい。勘違いから始まった日本愛でもいいじゃないか、と言っていた。今まで私も「正しい日本」を教えようと、日本語や日本文化を教えてきたけれど、彼女の考え方はとても斬新で、しかも説得力があって考えさせられた。もっともっと彼女のことを知りたくなってしまった。

そこで買ったのが彼女の初著書「はみだす力」だ。いじめと戦い、劣等感の塊だった思春期。研究や制作に明け暮れた学生時代。決められた型に収まらずに、ぶっ飛んだ生き方をしながらも、世界のアートシーンから認められ、着々と成功を収めていく様が、読んでいてとても気持ちいい。ついにはアカデミアにも目をつけられ、MITメディアラボの助教授の座にまで登り詰めていく彼女。ラジオでも誰かが言っていたけれど、出る杭は打たれるけれど、出過ぎる杭は打たれない、というのをスプツニ子!さんが身をもって証明してくれたような気がする。これからも、彼女の活躍っぷりに、ますます目が離せない。


※この本は自分用に一冊、そして16歳になる私の継娘 (step-daughter)にも一冊買った。スプツニ子!さんと同じハーフとして日本で育っているので共感できる点も多いかも知れない。これからも彼女らしく、自由に生きていってほしいという思いを込めて、この本を贈ろうと思っている。


Thursday, January 16, 2014

DREAM by Tanikawa 谷川俊太郎「夢」新訳

DREAM

Night 
The old memories 
Wove my dreams 

Then dreams went down to a deep place

For a long while
The rain kept falling, and 

Even within a small setback 
I'm in search of kind words

—Shuntaro Tanikawa 
(English translation by Naoko Smith)





夢    (『十八歳』より)

        谷川俊太郎


古い記憶が
僕の夢を織った

それで夢は深い所へおちて行った

ながい間
雨は降り続き

小さな蹉跌にも
僕はやさしい言葉をもとめている

1950. 4. 25

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Recipe: 蓮根とナスのお餅入りもっちりグラタン

蓮根とナスのもっちりグラタンの作り方♬

材料 ingredients(二人〜三人分):

れんこん(lotus root)   1本
茄子(eggplant)   1本
お餅(rice cake)     2個
鶏肉(chicken)      100g
マカロニ(macaroni) 100g
にんにく(garlic)    1かけ
オリーブ油(olive oil) 大さじ1
酒(sake)      大さじ1
小麦粉(flour)      少々
塩(salt)          少々
酢(vinegar)    少々


(ホワイトソース bechamel sauce)
小麦粉(flour) 35g
牛乳(milk)  300ml
バター(butter) 35g
固形コンソメ(consommé) 1個
塩こしょう(salt&pepper) 少々



OK, are you ready??? 準備はいいですか?




まずは、マカロニを茹でます。



茹でている間に、お餅を二つ、包丁で1〜2センチ角に切りましょう。



他の具材も一口大に切っておきます。蓮根は切ってから酢水に浸しておきます。鶏肉は酒大さじ1と塩こしょうで少し揉んで、小麦粉を軽くまぶしておきます。茄子には塩をまぶしておきましょう。にんにくはみじん切りです。



中火の鍋に油大さじ1を敷いて、にんにくを炒めます。



にんにくの香りが出て来たら、酒と塩こしょうで揉んで、小麦粉をまぶした鶏肉を鍋に入れて、にんにくと一緒に炒めます。



鶏肉を軽く炒めてから、蓮根の酢水を切って、鍋に入れて一緒に炒めます。



塩をまぶしておいた茄子も入れます。



ここで茹で上がったマカロニを入れて混ぜます。



最後にお餅も入れて全体を軽く混ぜ合わせて、この鍋は蓋をして、ホワイトソースを作る間、少々出番待ちをしてもらいます。



さあ、ホワイトソースを作りましょう!まず鍋にバターを入れて、弱火で溶かします。



バターが溶けたら、小麦粉を少しずつ入れて、かき混ぜていきます。火はごくごく弱火で。焦がさないように。



小麦粉とバターが混ぜ合い、だまだまになってきたら、少しずつ牛乳を入れて混ぜていきます。



コンソメと塩こしょうで味付けをして、ホワイトソースは出来上がり。このソースの鍋に出番待ちの鍋の具を入れて混ぜ合わせます。



よく混ぜたら、グラタン皿に入れて、上にチーズをトッピングします。



トースターやオーブンで10分弱。焦げ目がついたら、出来上がり!



最後にパセリをぱらぱらっとかけるとより一層美味しそうに見えるっ!

Bon appétit! 

Monday, January 13, 2014

"Sorrow" by Tanikawa 谷川俊太郎『かなしみ』新訳

SORROW 
                   (from "Two billion light-years of loneliness" - 1952)

Around that blue sky where the sound of waves can be heard
I seem to have lost
Something unthinkable 

At the station of a transparent past
Standing in front of the lost-and-found
I became even more sad

—Shuntaro Tanikawa
(English Translation by Naoko Smith)



The sign reads, "lost properties are looking sad and looking for their 'masters'."


かなしみ(『二十億光年の孤独』より— 1952年 創元社)

          谷川俊太郎

あの青い空の波の音が聞えるあたりに
何かとんでもない落とし物を
僕はしてきてしまったらしい

透明な過去の駅で
遺失物係の前に立ったら
僕は余計に悲しくなってしまった

Sunday, January 12, 2014

"Two billion light-years of loneliness" by Tanikawa Shuntaro 二十億光年の孤独 新訳

TWO BILLION LIGHT-YEARS OF LONELINESS

Human beings on a small sphere
Sleep, get up, and work
And sometimes they want pals from Mars

Martians on a small sphere
What they're doing, I don't know
(Or if they are neriri-ing, kiruru-ing and harara-ing )
But sometimes they want pals from Earth 
That much I know

Universal gravitation is
The power of loneliness that pulls things towards each other

The universe is distorted
Therefore, we all desire each other 

The universe is steadily expanding
Therefore, everyone is anxious 

Facing two billion light-years of loneliness,
I sneezed in spite of myself

—Shuntaro Tanikawa, 1952
(English translation by Naoko Smith)



二十億光年の孤独 (『二十億光年の孤独』より— 1952年 創元社)

          谷川俊太郎

人類は小さな球の上で
眠り起きそして働き
ときどき火星に仲間を欲しがったりする

火星人は小さな球の上で
何をしているか 僕は知らない
(或はネリリし キルルし ハララしているか)
しかしときどき地球に仲間を欲しがったりする
それはまったくたしかなことだ

万有引力とは
ひき合う孤独の力である

宇宙はひずんでいる
それ故みんなはもとめ合う

宇宙はどんどん膨んでゆく
それ故みんなは不安である

二十億光年の孤独に
僕は思わずくしゃみをした

Saturday, January 11, 2014

New Year's Resolutions 2014 今年の抱負

"What's your new year's resolution?" I asked Mike. "I don't have one. I never do" said Mike. Let me boast just a tad. I always have new year's resolutions ever since I was little, and I usually remember what I promised to myself and manage to accomplish whatever I decided to do by the end of the year. Having said that, my new year's resolutions are never anything big; they are fairly doable things, like "be more kind to people or "write letters more often." Last year's were, "finish writing master's thesis&graduate", "cook&run more often", and I successfully accomplished these things (though it isn't really clear just how often is 'more often', and it was completely based on my own arbitrary ideas and judgment:) After all, they are "my" new year's resolutions!  

It's been 10 days since the year 2014 kicked off, and I thought it's about time to come up with my new year's resolutions for this year (some old, some new):

  • Improve my posture (new)
  • Go to the dentist regularly (new)
  • Respond to letters/emails quicker (new)
  • Run more often (continued from previous years)
  • Cook more often (continued from previous years)
  • Write more often (continued from previous years)
  • Be kind (always been on my list)

1. Improve my posture (new)(姿勢を正す)

I've been having a back pain for a while now. The left side of my lower back hurts and the pain goes down into my leg. It's not usually a severe pain, but some days are bad. These last few years I was in grad school located in the middle of nowhere, where the weather was gloomy 90% of the time, all I did was camping out inside the library and studying. I spent a massive amount of time sitting at the desk, reading and writing, and it was hard on my back. To make it worse, I wasn't just sitting; I was sitting with slouched shoulders for hours. Last year I came across some books about posture and all said that a slouch is the root cause for many health problems. Improving posture has its positive (both physical and mental) outcomes, and I decided to make it my top priority this year to try it out. I don't usually slouch when I'm standing up or walking (well, I used to, when I was younger and wasn't particularly proud of being too tall), but I still slouch when I am on the computer for instance. Of course I still need to find a good chiropractor to have my back checked soon though.





2. Go to the dentist regularly (new)(歯を大切に)

I lived in the U.S. the last 3 years, and my school health insurance didn't have a dental coverage. When I lived in Kentucky (circa 2003-2009), the insurance from my company had a dental, but student insurance normally doesn't come with dental, and just in case you didn't know, the dentist visits could cost you fortune in the States. So, I didn't go to the dentist for 3 years and my teeth need some work. Nothing major, but some fillings need to be replaced and some coffee stain must go. Recently, I found a good dentist just 2 blocks from my apartment and have gone there twice now. I just need to commit myself, keep going there until my teeth get fixed and also remind myself to go for teeth cleaning every now and then. 



3. Respond to letters/emails quicker (new)(返事は早めに)

I've been really bad at replying in a timely manner; whether they're emails, texts, facebook messages/posts or letters. I don't just respond to them late intentionally. It's not that I forget replying, either. It's just that when I write something, I want to it to be impeccable (though it's full of mistakes). Still, I want whatever I write to be meaningful and tasteful, and that takes time. While I may be sloppy in other things, I'm a perfectionist when it comes to writing. My close friends know that about me, and they understand if they don't hear back from me for a while. Actually, they keep writing to me until I finally write to them. No wonder I don't have many friends!! Ha! Anyway, I'm lucky to have those friends who don't give up on me, but those who aren't that close to me take this flaw of me utterly personally. If I don't write to them quick enough, they speculate and decide that I'm somehow mad at them. That's not good to confused them, and it's not their fault. So, I will try my best to respond in a swift manner, not to lose more friends! :)

4. Run more often(走る)

This is a continued item from the year 2012; that is when I started running regularly and experienced so-called "runner's high" for the first time. I had a running mate (Chris) at Purdue and I was even using the running app called "RunKeeper." Chris and I used to run around the campus in the evening 2-3 days a week in the summer and the fall, but we quit meeting when it got cold. So it made an appearance again on to the new year's resolutions for the year 2013, and I had a new running mate, Mike (aka my husband.) In the summer, we ran around the park, and it was in the evening but the temperature and the humidity were just too high this summer. We both sweat ridiculously a lot, so we were completely drained away after the run, and we quit running before we knew it. This year, I want to run again, even if it's once a week. I want to feel that runner's high kicking in my body again. It's a nice feeling.



5. Cook more often(料理にいそしむ)

This is also a continued item from...I don't remember when, but it's been on my new year's resolutions for several years now. It's appearing again this year, not because I didn't cook often, but I want to keep learning, trying out more new recipes to expand my "repertoire". Since I moved in with Mike last May, I started cooking daily. I actually quite enjoy cooking; especially cooking for someone other than myself. The other day I made cabbage rolls for the first time, and it was delicious! 






6. Write more often(物書きに励む)

This is another continued item from the year 2013. Last year, I posted more blog entries than any other years, and it felt good to write; whether poems or translation of poems or haiku or just writing about some random day-to-day events. Writing has always been one of my passion, and I want to become a better writer. 

7. Be kind (ひとに優しく)

My dad is a very quiet person. He hardly even opens his mouth unless he's eating something (he loves to eat!) He never told me to study or to practice piano or not to watch TV or to clean my room; it was mom's job. But there was one thing he always told me; "Be a kind woman. (優しい女性になってください)" Actually, he never said that to me in person; he always wrote that on the birthday cards for me every year, and thanks to him, quite naturally, before I want to become smart or successful or beautiful or whatnot, I would always want to be kind first. I think it's become my lifelong motto by now.    

What's your new year's resolution? Whether you have one or not, happy new year to you!!