Screenplays

In our English conversation club too, the first half of the current year is over. The next session is going to start in October. We attempted to complete one project for a month as an achievement of this session. The project was to write screenplays and to act on the stage, though it is a small stage.

As I wrote about our activities before, we chose two characters freely from the world’s history, movies, manga, novels and something like that. Next, three or four members got together and wrote a screenplay using six or eight characters. Finally, we memorized the part of the conversation and acted on the stage.

Our first, and probably final, cinematic attempt has been completed ,and our plays have been recorded into a DVD by the help of some students in Kobe Foreign Language University. It was my first attempt to think about screenplays.

It was very exciting to play Hillary Clinton and Melanie in the film “Five Women in A Host Club” which we had written. I am glad to have good memory with the members in the English conversation club.



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A Story Using Two Characters

As I talked about our actibity in the English conversation club before, I chose two characters, i.e. Melanie ( in “Gone with the Wind") and Hillary Clinton, and then made a story.

Melanie was a thoughtful woman. She always cared about others more than herself. Many people were helped by her kind and merciful mind. Scarlet ( a heroin in Gone With the Wind) took for granted that she should have been was treated like a queen by surrounded surrounding men. She was selfish and thought that even Melanie’s husband loved her better than Melanie. On the other hand, Melanie covered up Scarlet even when the bad rumor between her husband and Scarlet had spread.

Hillary Clinton was Melanie’s granddaughter and sometimes visited her grandma’s house in the South. Hillary was logical and very smart and often helped weak people by her job skills as a lawyer. She always thought that Melanie should express herself more openly and should demand Scarlet to be more moderate. She was often irritated by the fact that Melanie was too patient. However, she was also comforted by Melanie. When Hillary was worried about her husband’s affairs and felt depressed, Melanie consoled her and cheered her up, saying “You must make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember God forgives you, so you must forgive others.”



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Imagination

My new teacher in the English conversation club gives us a unique lesson. First of all, we choose a main character and a supporting character from a real society, a history, a novel, a movie and so on. Secondly, we think how two characters interact with each other and make a story. This work needs to develop imagination. Surely enough, my ability of making a new thing is declining year after year. I have to use my sleeping brain.

I chose Melanie and Hillary Clinton. Melanie is a character in the movie Gone With the Wind, and Scarlet O’Hara's cousin. Some young members didn’t know the movie風と共に去りぬ. I couldn’t help but think there is a big gap among some generations. Some other members chose　吉田茂、永井荷風、谷崎潤一郎、本田宗一郎, Sharri Temple, Goddess of Temperance(節制の女神), Goddess of Justice(正義の女神), etc.

Melanie’s personality
1. thoughtful
2. merciful
3. tenderhearted
4. considerate
5. witty

I suppose Hillary Clinton’s personality is
1. logical
2. smart
3. social
4. tactical
5. outgoing

I have to make a story, using two characters by the next lesson. This work must revitalize the unused part of my brain.


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Every Child Costs the Mother One Tooth

In the English conversation class, our teacher brought several different news reports (150~200 words) copied from a newspaper. Each of us chose one of them that we liked. “Read the news, summarize it in three points and explain it.” Our teacher said. I chose the news titled”More kids equal less teeth for moms”.

There is a German proverb that every child costs the mother one tooth. Women who gave birth to more children tended to lose more teeth during their lives, regardless of financial status.

The data on 2,635 U.S. women ages 18 to 64.

In the highest socioeconomic group,
no children-----less than one tooth
one child--------two teeth
four or more children---five teeth

In the lowest socioeconomic group
no children-----two teeth
one child--------three teeth
four or more children---eight teeth


Anyway, a mother makes lots of sacrifices for her children. I recall my mother to my mind. Thank you, Mom!
I think the number of the teeth women lost in giving birth is also related to balanced diet, nutrition and heredity (DNA).




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Blow Off Steam

I took a hula dancing lesson at the gym this afternoon. Every week the class members seem to have forgotten everything they learned the week before. Our instructor checks out how much we have remembered. I am usually at a loss and move in the opposite direction from everyone else dancing. I’m confused, but continue dancing, laughing all the while. Our instructor is seldom strict with us. Her policy is “Let’s enjoy dancing and blow off steam.” Plus, I can get some exercise. Our instructor lets us stretch our legs, turn our ankles hugging the floor tightly with our toes, and lift our arms high over our heads and pull backwards.





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