Tea matters and all such things

[alexandral]

Yes!!!! We knew it for ages!!! Tea is proved to be good for you! It contains antioxidants and drinking 3 or more cuppas a day is as beneficial for you as drinking plenty of water!!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5281046.stm?ls

Especially green tea - the elements of it may protect against Alzheimer's :

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4261558.stm

And cancer:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4551748.stm

+ I had a busy, busy week but it is a Bank Holiday weekend of which our University has Monday plus Tuesday. I fully intend to do nothing but watch lots of films, drink a lot of tea , have many chocolates and may be do some walking. Sasha's friend Ben doesn't join us next week.

+ I have watched first episode of "Majo no Jouken" . I find Takizawa Hideaki incredibly cute and heart-wrenching but can't warm up to the Matsushima Nanako's character yet. I think this may be because Matsushima Nanako as well as some other Japanese actresses have differerent mannerisms from what I am used to. In a way their facial expressions are "too strong" for me sometimes. It is not necessarily a bad thing, just something I need to get used to. I was struggling with this at first in "Long Vacation" in the main character Minami who was played by Yamaguchi Tomoko. At the end Minami totally won my heart. But her friend Momoko didn't - I had a little cringe every time I saw her.

Anyway, I feel I am very drawn into "Majo no Jouken". And just a minute ago I realized that Hideaki is also a singer. Yumm!

+ I am getting confused with Japanese names and surnames. I probably need to read about the matter.

+ Yesterday's was my LJ anniversary. ONE year!!! I can't say enough how great you all are!!!

Comments

[winterspel.livejournal.com]

Happy Anniversary, dear! *confetti*

Tea is SO good for you! I'm a fan, as you know. One of my favorite places is Teaism (http://www.teaism.com/)!

Re: strong facial expressions - this is something that I've noticed throughout all the jdorama I've watched. Often expressions are exaggerated, and I think this is just a "thing" that they do. Most of the time it's for comedic purpose, but not always. In the Gokusen doramas there is a head teacher whose facial expressions are so exaggerated they are scary, but they are also hilarious.

What are you confused about with Japanese names/surnames? I don't know a lot but I can tell you this much: they do the same thing that the Chinese do - last name is first, and people are almost always referred to by their last name unless there is some kind of intimacy (Friend/family relationship)and there is usually some kind of suffix added to the end like -san, -kun, -chan or others to designate the relationship & respect.

Many stars of jdorama come out of Johnny's Entertainment, so they sing/dance/act/etc.

I'm so glad you like Takizawa Hideaki (Takki)! I'll tell you this - with almost all the jdorama I've watched, it has taken 1-3 episodes to like the female characters, with a few exceptions. I almost always do warm up to them but not immediately. It's much easier to love the male leads from the beginning. (for me)

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much, dear!

Often expressions are exaggerated, and I think this is just a "thing" that they do. Most of the time it's for comedic purpose, but not always.

You think it is not a thing the people in Japan (for example) do in general? I don't know many Japanese people - I have one Chinese friend, but she has been living in UK for ages.

What are you confused about with Japanese names/surnames? I don't know a lot but I can tell you this much: they do the same thing that the Chinese do - last name is first, and people are almost always referred to by their last name unless there is some kind of intimacy (Friend/family relationship)and there is usually some kind of suffix added to the end like -san, -kun, -chan or others to designate the relationship & respect.

I think you have answered all my questions - I was sometimes confused what is the first name and what is second. And also suffixes were a little confusing for me. Thank you so much! It makes so much sense! I must be tone deaf as well because I almost never can work out when actors address each other by their names - pronunciation seems to be really different to what I expect.

It's much easier to love the male leads from the beginning. (for me)

Most definitely :)

[winterspel.livejournal.com]

Regarding the exaggerated expressions - I've never noticed this in particular with the few Japanese people I know in RL. I always assumed it was a Japanese acting convention because I see it so often in doramas and variety show skits, etc., but it doesn't seem to me like it's quite the same when the actors are not acting (as in when I see them outside of their acting roles). But I could be totally wrong in my assumption and it may be a deeper cultural thing. Now you've made me curious.

Very generally speaking, Japanese pronunciation always puts the accent or emphasis on the first syllable. So for ex. Takizawa Hideaki is TAKizawa HIDeaki, and they often pronounce things so fast that to my ears it sounds like some sounds are swallowed or disappear. This is true with set phrases like arigato gosaimasu. I swear, I can never, ever hear the "u" on the end of gosaimasu. I have to listen very, very carefully to dialogue to hear when/how characters address each other (which can sometimes be important), andn I also have to work hard to pay attention to the titles they use like "sensei" (teacher) or "sempai" (elder), etc. It's not easy at all. ;)

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I think you are correct and this is purely acting thing. I a little like in the pantomimes which take a root in Greek and Roman theater.

Thank you very much that you have explained pronunciation a little to me - I could follow a little bit better yesterday! Some consonants and vowels have slightly different pronunciation then in English.

[sunbrae.livejournal.com]

I fully intend to do nothing but watch lots of films, drink a lot of tea , have many chocolates and may be do some walking.

Sounds divine. *g* Happy LJversary! I'm so glad you're on my flist.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! This is totally mutual!!!!!

[arathesane.livejournal.com]

cool! I knew about tea(especially green), anti-oxidants and cancer prevention but hadn't heard about the Alzheimer's news.

hope you have a great weekend, relish your free time!

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I thought is very interesting that they found about possible affect of green tea extract on Alzheimer's. Though you must take a lot of the extract, it seems!

And - thank you!!!!!!!!! I will!

[anna-the-fair.livejournal.com]

Happy LJ Anniversary! =)

And yes, tea is good. Drink tea, eat chocolates, enjoy your leisure time.

Your love of tea came from drinking so much of it in Russia, didn't it?

I drank a lot of tea on my vaction there. Or is it because you live in England now?

Anyway, I'm just curious, because in my part of Russia, tea, especially among my relatives, was very popular.

Also, another, quite random question: Did you hear about Pluto not being a planet anymore?

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much!

Tea is very popular in Russia, but more often black or green. I used to drink a lot of high quality leaf tea there. But it seems for me that in UK tea is even more popular then in Russia - some of my friends will drink one cup after another . People mostly drink strong tea with milk. You can get green tea in UK (my favourite variety) , but for me there seems to be less of variety in green and leaf teas. People most often use tea bags in UK.

Also, another, quite random question: Did you hear about Pluto not being a planet anymore?

This is so very sad!!!!!!!!!

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Happy anniversary! Glad you are enjoying MnJ. And Takizawa Hideaki :) (who is in the running for the most gorgeous drama star I've seen). It took me a while to warm up to the female lead too, so don't worry...

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much!

who is in the running for the most gorgeous drama star I've seen

He is so very pretty , especially around his mouth. **Swoons ** And well, eyes are exceptionally pretty too.

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

Yay, happy anniversary, darling! Has it really only been a year? I feel like we 'met' much longer ago than that - and I totally mean that as a compliment.

I love the tea-findings. YAY TEA!!

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much!!!!! Feelings are totally mutual :). YOur icon makes me giggle.

I love the tea-findings. YAY TEA!!

I was particular happy because in UK there was a popular perception that you had to drink LOTS of water and nothing else to stay healthy. I am so glad that tea counts - I like drinking water, but it gets boring after a while.

[lage-nom-ai.livejournal.com]

Happy LJversary! :)

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Thank you :)

[gobi-rex.livejournal.com]

Happy LJ-versary!!! I'm so glad to have met you!

Hee, I love tea, I drink it as often as I can and in enormous quantities. I feel very out of sorts if I can't have my usual two cups of tea at breakfast. I love green tea, I didn't like it at first, but now I drink more green than black tea. You know, first time I tried good quality Chinese green tea, I thought it smelled like Indian jasmine flavored soap we had in Russia (my grandmother used to keep it between clean linens). Every time I go to my Chinese friend's house and we have that tea, I think of my grandmother.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I am glad I met you too!

I am the same - I drink tea very often and different varieties (green, black, with milk). I started to like green tea after one time when my friends brought me good leaf green tea from Russia with different inclusions and flaviours. These teas were so beautiful that my husband and I loved them very much straightaway! After that it took me awhile to find high quality green tea in UK. Now I most often get it from the Chinese supermarket.

But - YES! Jasmine tea is so confusing to drink. :) I seems like you are drinking some perfume-y stuff. It took me some time to get used to it too.

[nutmeg3.livejournal.com]

Happy Anniversary! I'm raising a celebratory (albeit metaphorical) cup of tea in your honor right now. :-)

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Thank you :)

[teh-haley.livejournal.com]

hmmm, I always drink green tea because I love it, but I didn't know all its good effects... I hope they're true! :P

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I hope they are too - I love green tea! I am so glad you like it too - I was thinking for some reason that coffee is more popular in Italy then tea.

[teh-haley.livejournal.com]

I think I know why, the point is that coffee is quick to have, it gives you some kind of energy and here we have actually a "culture" about coffee, especially espresso, and we have it only if we're sure that it's the real espresso... but when I have a little bit more time, I love drinking a cup of tea with my friends!

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I love coffee, especially espresso , but it makes me hyper and gives irregular heartbeat. BUt I adore the smell of good coffee :)

[teh-haley.livejournal.com]

hehe, probably I'm a coffee-addict, because it doesn't make the same effect on me... no more ;)

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I think different people react differently on coffee - my husband drinks coffe before he goes to bed. And he doesn't drink much of it at all :)