Animal Farm

I'm on chapter 5 right now. I'm taking notes of words that I don't know the meaning of as I read. There are lots of words that I've heard before but don't know the meaning.
My mum was delighted about the 1984 video, by the way.

It's embarrassing to admit but the book I'm reading now is Princess Diaries which is totally girly. I just like it because it's HILARIOUS and the content is crappy. :P And it's the second time reading it!
I tend to read a couple of books at the same time. I was reading a Gerald Durrel book before but now I'm on Princess Diaries 4.
Reading the same book over and over and over again is something I do too.

About the Speech Thing

When: November 10th
Register starts at 9:00
First speech stars 10:10
Ends: 14:00
Where: Ibaraki-ken-ritsu library 3rd floor Mito
Who: me and 12 other people will talk about shit.
Why: because we don't have anything better to do.

Taking photos or videos are prohibited.
We can't practice before it starts.

Am I going to this thing on my own? If so, I am sure I will get lost going there. :)

39!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My guesses saved me!!!!!

God, I'm sorry for blaming you for making the universe so complicating. It doesn't matter now because I passed the test.

Just a Quick Update...

I've been busy doing nothing.... OK I was doing some things like cleaning my room. Now it's junk free! I couldn't believe how much shit I had accumulated over the years. I threw away books I used in junior high and papers I will never look at. Heaps of paper went to the recycle. It took all weekend. Meanwhile, my class mates had another mock test on Saturday. Not something unusual... They are taking mock tests all the time!!! We even have one this weekend too.

I got some info on the next speech contest. It's in Kenritsu Library in Mito. I'm the 3rd person to give the speech. I will write about it tomorrow because I don't have the paper with me.

Tomorrow is my big day. I get the Chemistry test back which I can swear I totally failed. I know I think this way for every test but this time, I knew I fail right after the test started. There weren't so many questions I answered with confidence. I think I have to take another test in December to graduate... I thought Chemistry is the perfect proof that God doesn't exist when the test was over.

Geoffrey Chaucer (1343-1400)

He was an English author, poet（詩人）, philosopher（哲学者）, bureaucrat（官僚）, courtier（廷臣） and diplomat（外交官）.

His Life...
His earliest record is when he was a page(従者) of Elizabeth de Burgh because his father was connected to her.

Around 1366, he married Phillipa Roet. This is the tomb of Phillipa.　↓ She worked for Edward III's queen as an assistant.

In the early days of the Hundred Years' War, Edward III invaded France and Geoffrey traveled to France with Lionel of Antwarp, Elizabeth's husband.
In 1360, he became a prisoner. Edward paid 16 pounds and released him.
He became a member of the royal court as a varlet de chambre（倉庫係下士官）. It was a high position that gave him many jobs and money.

His career as a writer began to blossom when Edward III rewarded him with "a gallon of wine for the rest of his life."

It was given on a celebration day called St George's day. On St George's day, prises like 芥川賞 were awarded. This placed him a precursor(先駆者） to later poets laureate（優秀な詩人）.

He began working as a Comptroller(会計監査官） in 1374. He worked for 12 years which was a long time.

Geoffrey is thought to have started writing "Canterbury Tales" in the early 1380s.

When April with his showers sweet with fruit

The drought of March has pierced unto the root

And bathed each vein with liquor that has power

To generate therein and sire the flower;

When Zephyr also has, with his sweet breath,

Quickened again, in every holt and heath,

The tender shoots and buds, and the young sun

Into the Ram one half his course has run,

And many little birds make melody

That sleep through all the night with open eye

(So Nature pricks them on to ramp and rage)-

Then do folk long to go on pilgrimage,

And palmers to go seeking out strange strands,

To distant shrines well known in sundry lands.

And specially from every shire's end

Of England they to Canterbury wend,

The holy blessed martyr there to seek

Who help ed them when they lay so ill and weal

In 1389, he got a job to organize the king's building projects. He conducted repairs on Westminster Palace, St. George's Chapel, Windsor and continued building the wharf at the Tower of London. It was a tough job but he was paid well.In 1390, records say that he was robbed and injured. He quit his job the next year.

His Works...

His most famous book is "The Canterbury Tales." The book is not completed. This is the modern text. It is written about people in the medieval era. The Catholic Church still had power, but it was the subject of controversy(論争). One of the characters in the book works for the Church and he admits that the Church is corrupt(腐敗）.

Why he is important...
He was one of the first poets to use a five stress line.
"The Canterbury Tales" is so famous that many writers have written an ending to it. Also, many books have adopted the title such as "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood.

It Gets Better Project

I heard that in BigGayNews.com that someone called Dan Savage started It Gets Better Project for LGBT Youth. It started because six gay kids have been reported that they have committed suicide in September. There are probably more than that but hasn't been reported. Dan set up a YouTube channel so that people can post videos about their experiences and say things will get better.
It's nice to see that so many people are speaking out. I think it helps a lot.

All this is happening in the US.
What about Japan? Japan has the fifth highest suicide rate in the world according to wikipedia and probably loads of kids (including me) have committed/attempted suicide because they are gay or trans or whatever.
I just did a brief search on YouTube about LGBT and all that comes up are recorded TV shows or stupid fake gay porn.
It's interesting that although Japanese people use the Internet like Americans, we don't use it wisely...