"Children of a Lesser God" (1986)

I was browsing TV this afternoon when an old movie caught my eye. It turned out to be a movie called "Children of a Lesser God." I could not leave the TV set and watched it till the end.  It was a good movie. I had no idea how it hadn't been brought to my attention until now.

Long story short, it's a story of an idealistic teacher named James who teaches deaf students how to speak. One day, he sees a young woman storming out of the kitchen of his school cafeteria. When he asks the school principal who she is, he learns she's a former student named Sarah who now works as a school janitor. 

Sarah is beautiful. And she is also one of the brightest, according to the principal. James is curious why she settles for a seemingly unexciting job of janitor. James tries to communicate with Sarah, and also out of his professional idealism tries to get her interested in speaking when he learns that Sarah can talk in sign language, but that she would not try to speak.

As time goes by, James comes to a point where he must admit to himself and to Sarah also that he is in love with her. Sarah quits the job of janitor and starts to live with James in his place. But things do not go as well as they want them to. While knowing deep down that he must love her just the way she is, his professional idealism raises its head every now and then, he acts as if he wanted Sarah to learn to speak. Sarah senses it, and decides to leave his place without telling him where she is going.  James is left alone.

Months after they are parted, James goes to meet Sarah's mom to find out she works downtown as a manicurist. James goes to the salon where she works and sees her through the shop window receiving a tip from a satisfied customer. James leaves the salon without contacting Sarah.

Time passes. There is a school festival. James looks happy with his students dancing and smiling. But in the back of his mind, there is always Sarah. How is she doing? Doesn't she miss me? Could she ever come back to me... He turns his eyes off his happy students and sees a crowd of formally-dressed guests. Among a number of tall guests, near their shoulders, that familiar long curly hair is glimpsed, and as those guests walk off, a full figure of the owner of that hair becomes visible. It was Sarah dressed in a white one-piece dress and white heels. The upper chest of the dress is slightly lacy to make her look charmingly feminine. James cannot believe his eyes. He slowly looks away from his charmingly-dressed former girlfriend and leaves the party room and gets out into the starry night. A while later, Sarah joins him outside. They tell each other by sign language what went through their minds while they were apart. They realize they need each other. 

The actress who plays Sarah is Marlee Matlin. She is very charming in the movie, able to express so many complicated emotions. In real life, she lost almost all of her hearing ability as a child, but that didn't stop her from pursuing acting career. At age 58, she is still incredibly vivacious and charming. She is also very active in promoting support for people with hearing impairment. 

Her co-star, William Hur who played James passed away last year after leaving a colorful filmography behind...

                                  

Training for Kyoho no Oka Marathon

 Aug. 17, 2023

I've been training for the 39th Kyono no Oka 18.3 K Road Race. It's scheduled for Sept. 17. The training has been good overall. But it's been a bit irregular due to a number of factors. First, the extraordinary heat of this summer was too exhausting. I often chose rest over training. Secondly, I had an issue with my left hip joint in early August. I stopped running altogether and switched to cycling temporarily.  Also, I had my summer vacation from the 10 to the 17. I gave priority to other things. 

Thanks to the temporary break from running training, the hip joint is much better now. On the night of the 16, I went for a short run to see how my legs would respond. The response was good enough. I didn't feel any pain. So I am going to start my running training again. There is only one month left. Any injury after this point can be unrecoverable. I need to train carefully. I should not push too hard. The hip joint issue mentioned earlier occurred several days after I did significantly long runs. I didn't take baby steps. I suddenly increased my training distance from 10 K to 20 K. I wasn't patient. I guess I wanted to prove to myself that I could still do it. Well, I DID prove that I could do it. But with a price. And that is a price I wouldn't have had to pay if I had been more sensible.

Well, a lesson has been learned. I will be wiser in the remaining time till the race day comes.

My recent sessions are good examples. I was careful not to overdo it. The one on the night of the 16 was brief and easy. I chose the out-and-back 6 K course near my house. With 1 K remaining, I felt strong, so I added an extra route to run 8.7 K. I kept my pace in check. I adjusted my stride and cadence when running up hills. I went barefooted just to see how my soles would respond. They got slightly sore, but not too badly. They've been spoiled quite a bit after weeks of shoe-clad training.

The following night I went out for exercise again. This time I mainly walked. After a barefoot run, I wanted to rest my once-injured/now-basically-recovered left knee. But at the same time, I didn't want to give it a full rest. I'm sure my knee is better than that. A good long walk is my solution. However, a walk alone doesn't satisfy me completely. Its intensity is low. There is little challenge in terms of resistance either. So I took a route that allowed me to visit parks where I could do body weight muscle exercises like pull-ups, chin-ups, dips, and push-ups, using iron bars and swings. This enabled me to significantly increase the total number of calories burned in the session. They help me build the core strength needed to keep a good running posture. 

Twenty-four hours have passed since the walk and park workout training session on the night of the 17, I feel my chest a bit sore. (Which is good. It's a sign that there were micro tears.) But that is a condition that doesn't affect running.  So I am going to hit the road soon. It's cool outside now compared with a few nights ago. The mere prospect of being alone on the road thrills me. I love that awesome feeling of keeping the entire road all to myself in the still of the night in the pitch dark.  

＜All Japan Athletics Championships Men's 5000m/全日本陸上選手権男子5000㍍＞

Fujitsu's Kazuya Shiojiri, the former ace of Juntendo University in Hakone, won the Men's 5000m at All Japan Athletics Championships. It was his first victory in the event. Congratulations to Kazuya!

In the beginning of the race, two African runners, who were open participants, led the pack. Then, toward the middle of the race, Yuichiro Ueno, who is the coach of the Rikkyo University Ekiden Club, alternated with the aforementioned Africans to lead the pace.

Ueno ran out of steam after the midpoint, but the leading group was replaced by a group of strong Japanese runners who were aiming for the top prize. Leading the pack was defending champion Hyuga Endo of Sumitomo Electric Industries, who has won this event twice in a row.

Endo graduated from Gakuho Ishikawa High School in Fukushima Prefecture and immediately started working for a businessman's team. He has a reputation for his last-minute spurt, and he was eagerly awaiting his chance to make it in today's race.

Shiojiri was the one who prevented him from doing so. Knowing that he had no chance to win in the sprint race on the last lap, Shiojiri made a long spurt with two laps to go!

The question was, how long would Shiojiri's long spurt last? The race was now down to how long Shiojiri's spurt would last, and where Endo would catch him.

The bell rang for the final lap. Endo's pitch clearly increased, and the third placer was closing in on Endo. The pace of the two competitors visibly increased as they competed with each other. The gap between Endo and Shiojiri, running solo in front, has narrowed! Has Shiojiri played into Endo's hands?

The gap did not close any further, and Shiojiri cut the tape, almost keeping the gap he had opened up in the long spurt on the second lap.

The race reminded me of the U.S. Women's 10,000m Tokyo Olympics selection race. There were two 5000m specialists in this race who had already qualified for the Women's 5000m and were looking for their spot in their second event. If the race was slow-paced, a sprinter who is confident in sprinting could make a last sprint to escape. In the actual race, both of the aforementioned runners who planned to win in this way dominated the pace at the front of the field.

However, there was one who didn't like it to happen and that was Emily Sisson. After taking the lead from the 5,000-meter specialist after the midpoint of the race, she gradually increased her pace.

Too fast a pace too early is a double-edged sword. Running out of gas in the last part of the race, she could be overtaken by those with stamina. However, Emily Sisson was able to maintain the lead and qualified for the Olympics.

In short, I think that is what she had been practicing for. I think Shiojiri was also practicing like that today. What you practice comes out in the competition. Plain and simple. But hard to put into practice.

全日本陸上選手権男子5000㍍が行われ、順天堂大学のエースとして箱根を沸かせた富士通の塩尻和也選手が初優勝した。おめでとう！

レースは序盤オープン参加のアフリカ勢がひっぱる展開となった。その後中盤にかけ、立教大学駅伝部の監督を務める上野裕一郎選手が前述のアフリカ勢と交互に首位を交代する形でペースを引っ張った。

中盤以降上野選手は力尽きたが、入れ替わるように上位入賞を狙う力のある日本勢が先頭グループを形成した。有力選手の筆頭はこの種目二連覇中のディフェンディングチャンピオン、住友電工の遠藤日向選手だ。

遠藤日向選手は、箱根駅伝には目もくれず福島県の学法石川高校を卒業後すぐに実業団に就職した。ラストスパートに定評があり、今日のレースでもそのチャンスを虎視眈々と狙っている。

それを阻んだのが塩尻選手だった。最終ラップのスプリント勝負で勝ち目がないことを知る塩尻選手は、残り2周の手前からロングスパートをかけたのだ！

勝負は塩尻選手のロングスパートがどこまで持ち堪えるか？遠藤選手のスパートがどこで塩尻選手を捉えるかに絞られた。

最終ラップの鐘が鳴る。遠藤選手のピッチが明らかに上がる。3位の選手が遠藤選手にくらいつく。競り合う形で二人のペースが目で見ても分かるように上がる。前を走る短独走の塩尻選手との差が縮まった！万事休すか！？

差はそれ以上縮まらなかった。2周目のロングスパートで空けた差をほぼほぼ守ったまま塩尻選手がテープを切った。

レースを見て、アメリカ女子10000㍍の東京五輪選考レースを思い出した。このレースには5000㍍で出場を決めているスピード系の選手が二人出場していて、二種目目の出場権を狙っていた。レースがスローペースになった場合、スプリントに自信のある選手が最後のスパートで逃げ来ることができる。実際のレースもそうした勝ち方を目論む前述の両選手が先頭でペースを支配する展開となった。

しかしそこに物言いをつけた選手がいた。Emily Sisson選手である。中盤以降に5000㍍のスペシャリストから首位を奪うとそのまま徐々に徐々にペースアップを図った。

速過ぎるペースアップは諸刃の剣だ。ラストでガス欠をし、力を温存している後半型の選手にまくられて後塵を拝すことになりかねない。しかしEmily Sisson選手は逃げ切った。そして五輪の出場権を獲得した。

要するに、そういう練習をしていたのだと思う。今日の塩尻選手も、そういう練習をしていたと思う。練習したことが本番に出る。まる。

"The Intern" (2015)

Feb. 16, 2023

就労前の二時間を自己の能力開発に充当するよう努めている。内訳は「仕事に資すること」だ。自己開発の時間を軽視して、いきなり業務を始めると、一見業務が先に進んだようで、実際には、インプットよりアウトプットが上回り、ビジネスパーソンとして消耗していることが多い。忙しい時こそ自己研鑽は身を助く。

今朝はAnne HathawayとRobert de Niro主演のThe Internを視聴した。1時間ほど見進まったところだがなかなか面白い。実は最初は乗り気でなかった。God Father Ⅱの若くて美しいDe Niroを知る自分としては、老いた往年の名俳優に出番を作ってあげる映画が痛々しさを感じさせるのではないかと恐れたからだ。心配は杞憂におわった。

映画は男ヤモメが定年後、若い女性の起業家が興した会社で創業者担当のインターンとして再就職する話だ。初めはDe Niro扮する初老のBenをバカにしていたAnne Hathaway扮する創業者のJulesだが、時を重ねる内に少しずつ自分に足りなかったことに気付いていくという物語だ。

経験と知恵と包容力によるさりげない内助の功を、恩着せがましい老害とみる視聴者には何から何までが鼻について堪えがたいに違いないが、老年街道を驀進中の身としては、再就職先でのDe Niroの一挙手一投足が、将来の自分自身のロールモデルともなりうるので、メモ用紙と鉛筆を握りしめて後半も視聴したいと思う。

現代アメリカの若者の在り方、考え方、言葉遣い、初老のビジネスパーソンとしての関与の仕方、これらを吸収するのが狙いだ。まる。

I try to allocate two hours before work to personal development. I make sure the effort will contribute to the betterment of my professional performance. If you neglect your self-development time, you can deplete yourself quickly. Output surpasses input. In no time, there is little left in you. Self-development helps you all the more when you are busy.

This morning I watched "The Intern" starring Anne Hathaway and Robert de Niro, which I've only been watching for about an hour. It's turned out to be quite interesting. I was actually reluctant to watch it at first, as I knew the beautiful young De Niro from Godfather II and feared that a film that gave an old actor a chance to play a role could be a bit painful. My fears proved unfounded.

The film is about a widower, who, after retirement, rejoins a company started by a young female entrepreneur. He is made an intern working closely with the founder of the company. At first, the founder, Jules, played by Anne Hathaway, doesn't expect much of the elderly Ben, played by De Niro, but as time goes by, she gradually realizes that something about him makes her more 'centered'. 

Some viewers may find Ben's helpful support based on experience, wisdom as patronizing and totally uncalled for, but for those of us who are on the road to old age, De Niro's every move at her new job can serve as a role model for our own future selves. So, I will grab a pen and paper to watch the second half. 

The aim is to absorb the way of being, thinking and speaking of young people in contemporary America, and also how an elderly re-hired can work with them.

The National Pastime

Feb. 10, 2023

I read an interesting article entitled “The National Pastime.” According to the article, baseball is not America’s national pastime anymore. Two things caused its decline. One is professional football’s availability on TV in the mid-1960s. The second is its slow pace. Numbers support the argument.

The article got me wondering what’s Japan’s national pastime. My guess is soccer though I have no numbers to back it up. It is simply a speculation based on my observation. In my neighborhood I see many kids playing with soccer balls. But those playing baseball tend to be older and smaller in number. Suppose my observation reflects reality, one reason for soccer’s greater popularity may be attributed to the fact that you only need a ball to do it, and also that it’s fun to practice solo. Baseball requires many tools. You need someone to throw a ball to you when you want to practice hitting a ball. Soccer allows you to practice hours on end all kinds of exciting tricks without anyone to practice them with. 

A Wedding during Covid-19 （コロナ禍の結婚式）

Jan. 31, 2023

I started the day by learning English on the morning of the last day of the first month of the Year 2023. I listened to, read silently, wrote, and read aloud a conversation between a couple scheduled to go to a wedding. When they received an email that said "masks optional," they decided to bring theirs in case they needed them at the venue although the man was somewhat reluctant because he thought masks would spoil the fun atmosphere of the occasion. 

Though the ratios of those masked and those that weren't were fifty-fifty, they decided they should wear their masks when they saw the bride's parents wearing masks. 

The conversation reminds me of the government's announcement to lower Covid-19's status this coming May 8 to category 5 which is of the same level as seasonal influenza in terms of severity.  When it takes effect, what will the government's official guideline be like in terms of whether one should or doesn't have to wear a mask in potentially crowded and largely closed spaces such as trains and buses? 

Before we knew Covid-19, when many cases of influenza were reported, some would take precautions by wearing a mask, but not everyone.  Those who weren't didn't feel social pressure to wear one unless they had uncontrollable coughs or sneezes. Therefore, when Covid's 19's status becomes the same as influenza, I assume that the government's stance on our public etiquette regarding disease prevention should also be pretty much the same as that for the time when we only had influenza but not Covid-19. 

Should that be the "new" new-normal, whether or not to wear a mask in public will be a matter of common etiquette, I hope. If you are afraid of catching a virus, you will wear one. If you feel it is unnecessary for whatever reason you may have such as your generally strong immunity, or overall high energy level, you may not. And when you cannot stop coughing or sneezing, you will avoid being in public spaces, or wear a mask to minimize your risk of infecting others when you DO need to be in public spaces somehow like having to commute by train or bus.

Meniscus Tear Rehab Midnight Run & Walk/半月板損傷リハビリラン＆ウォーク

Dec. 19, 2022

I'm in the 62-day countdown to the 55th Ohme 30 K Road Race. But I'm not doing very well. Sad to say, but it's true. Five days ago, I felt a pain in my left calf while jogging at night. To avoid worsening the situation, I canceled the training and walked back home. The main continued till the following day. But it had mostly subsided two days after I first felt the discomfort. Then this weekend, while spending time in Central Tokyo for pleasure, I walked quite a long distance to enjoy shopping and sightseeing. I walked a little less than 10 K in two days. During this course of time, there was little pain felt in the calf. So, hoping that I was ready, I hit the road tonight. But it turned out I wasn't ready.

Feeling disappointed, I walked home. But then a few steps toward home, I stopped and said to myself, "If you can walk home, you might as well continue to walk for an hour or so as a substitute for an hour-long run.

So I turned around and went for a walk. A sudden change of plan will give you a fresh outlook on things. I decided to head for a destination that I normally don't go to, a park about 4 kilometers from home. It has athletic equipment that allows me to do some upper-body exercises. I will be able to burn the calories by using the equipment that I was originally planning to burn by running.  

While walking to the park, I tried running on and off to figure out what movement gives me the greatest pain. I discovered that a forefoot landing slightly before the center of gravity gives me the greatest pain. I tried a middle-foot strike exactly under the center of gravity and measured the impact on the muscle. This time, the pain eased. 

From this test, I learned two things. One, the muscle strain has to do with my running form. If I keep up the middle-foot strike and make sure my feet fall exactly under the center of my gravity, the strain on the calves will be lessened. 

This is a great learning experience. In fact, I had a similar problem several years ago when I first tried barefoot running. Back then, I was younger, still keeping some growth potential, I overcame the discomfort by becoming stronger. As I get older, though, becoming stronger is becoming less and less of a viable option. I must learn to cope with the weakening body. There is a bit of sadness associated with that realization. But it is something I must live with.