New Year's Eve...all about this year '12

There were lots of troubles and problems this year. Unexpected and unwilling happenings occurred but as time goes by, we could reach to the path aiming to the next goal as long as we live.
On New Year's Eve I'd like to conclude this year with a good story.

It's the local news a few days ago on the Chunichi press.
According to the news, a dog was found left alone, seemed to be waiting for the owner on the lonely closed road in the mountains in Iida city in Nagano prefecture. The dog was seen to be there more than two weeks there never left and just sitting and waiting. The poor dog like 'Hachi' who was faithful and loyal to the owner, might be lost or abandoned. People who saw the dog worried about and wanted to feed him and take care of him.
The Chunichi press reported about the dog and many people offered to help the dog.
It seemed better for the dog to have a new owner. The animal protection worked for the dog to find a right owner.
Finally the dog called 'Hachi in Iida' met a new owner by the arranging.
I thought it was the final warm story for me.
What's your final good story on the New Year's Eve...Good luck!

The movie I recommend

We will have rainy and snowy weather from the end of the year to new year's days.
So I'm planning to read and watch movies.
One of my 'want lists' is 'Les Miserables'. I'm looking forward to seeing Jean Valjean acted by Hugh Jackman who was 'Kate and Leopard' and Cossete acted by Amanda Seyfried who was 'Mamma Mia'.
The movie is produced as musical cinema and all casts are powerful musical actors and actresses.
I also would like to enjoy the ultimate human love beyond laws or rules.
It's the eternal theme for us to think what is true valuable life.

Les Miserables

Cleaning at the end of the year

It's the season for the big cleaning at the end of the year.
I'm not going to clean so big because I mostly did the difficult one during the warm season, for example, the ventilation in the kitchen and windows. What I mostly need to do is to throw the disused away and decrease things. It's almost the half finished at the final clean up this year.

The day clip

It was the coldest morning yesterday at the minus 6 degrees Celsius. But it was very beautiful all the day around from morning till night.
I was enjoying the sunrise and the full moon in the winter night sky.

The coldest morning and the beautiful day and night

Frozen below minus this morning

It was extremely cold this morning!
Because the heat on the ground was deprived into the air in the sky. There was no warmth on the earth. It means no clouds at all in the sky last night, that's why all the heat was gone.
It indicated minus 6 degrees on the thermometer.
It was rare in my memory around here.
But the sun appears and shine in the sky.
I can see beautiful sunny morning so far... but it doesn't seem to be long before getting cloudly.
I'm sure it's the typical winter weather effected by cold wind and low pressure.
I thank the morning sunshine for a moment.

Christmas quotes

Christmas day is over but Christmas holiday goes on until New Year's day.
We have white Christmas in the north hemisphere, but they have summer Christmas in the south hemisphere. It doesn't matter whether it's summer or winter, Santa Clause travels all around the world. It's a big holiday event in the end of the year across the borders, countries, races, cultures and religions,too.
It's time for conclusion of this year and preparation for the next year.
I'm making to do list in this year end and counting the rest of the time day by day.

[my favorite quotes of Christmas]

What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future.
It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace. ~Agnes M. Pahro


A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
And so this is Christmas
For weak and for strong
For rich and the poor ones
The world is so wrong
And so happy Christmas
For black and for white
For yellow and red ones
Let's stop all the fight
A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
And so this is Christmas
And what have we done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
And so this is Christmas

from "Happy Christmas(War is Over)" by John Lennon & Yoko,1971

From TED Talk "Before I die, I want to..."

TED is a nonprofit organization dedicated to "Ideas worth spreading," which it makes available through talks posted on its website. ( Editor's note)
This program is shown NHK super presentation once a week.
A TED fellow, Candy Chang is an artist, designer, and urban planner who explores making cities more comfortable and contemplative spaces.
She had a hard time from the sudden death of her step mother and spent a long time grief.
One day she wondered if other people felt the same way to overcome difficulties in each life.
She wanted to know what was important to the people around her and wanted a daily reminder to restore perspective.
So with the help from old and new friends, she transformed the side of an abandoned house in her neighborhood in New Orleans into a giant chalkboard house and stenciled it with a grid of the fill- in- the blank sentence " Before I die, I want to ______." Anyone walking by could pick up a piece of chalk, reflect on their lives, and share their personal aspirations in public space.
People's responses made her laugh and loud, tear up, and they consoled her during her tough times.This neglected space became a constructive one where we understood our neighbors in new and enlightening ways. It also showed us we are not alone in our hopes, fears and struggles as we try to lead fulfilling lives. ( edited from CNN news)
Before I die, I want to...