Seven Year Itch: The Magical 7

Yesterday was Sunday (the 7th day of the week if we count it from Monday) but I went to the lab due to 2 days off last week. My lovely experiment again failed countlessly in this 2 weeks. Afterthat, I had a dinner with some friends in Sanjo at a nice restaurant, where P'Nha's Japanese Junior is working there as a part-time job. This meal was dilicious. The atmosphere was perfect. And, it was so cheap. After we grilled lots of parts of Chicken, when the food was gone, the mouth started to move. We had one topic about 'The SEVEN year itch'.

After I was back at home, I searched the article that I've read about this in Sarakadee, my most favorite Thai documentory magazine.

The word, 'The SEVEN year itch' generally means the bad situation such as a divorce that lovers might face after their 7 years relation. This word also used to be a title of Broadway and Movie atarred by Marilyn Monroe in 1955.

Actually, for medical term, Itch is scabies or โรคหิด นั่นเอง.

This article told the statistics about a divorce in Newzealand as shown in the graph below that about 25 percent (the most percentage) of the divorces are from pairs of husband and wife who have about 5-9 years of their marriage, which is also the same in Finland. (The average is 7)

From the data of US Census Bureau in 1996, it is also shown that the American divorced spout has an average marriage time about 7.8 years for men and 7.9 years for women.

However, several countries statistics don't follow the theory of 7-year itch such as 17.2 years for Italy, 11.2 years for UK, 10.6 years for Austria, and 10.2 years for Japan. ไม่รู้ว่าของไทยเท่าไหร่ อิอิ

Anyway, I think the LOVE is not dependent on the number but it depends on the couple. Don't worry if you guys are now at the 7. Most people have passed this number.

Anyway, frankly speaking, 7 is my most favorite number.
SEVEN 7 is a magic number as the followings;

1 week = 7 days

A rainbow has 7 colours.

There are 7 wonders in the world.

SEVEN is a title of hollywood movies.
(Why not one, two, three...?)

Why is James Bond 007????
(Not 001 or 009????)

7-11 is one of famous convenient stores.
(why not 6-11, 8-11, 9-11...?)

Roger Federrer won the 7th granslam at Australian Open 2006.

Amelie Mauresmo also won her first granslam at AO'06 after reaching the final 7 years ago.

Anyway, who wants to know more about the Seven Years Itch, you can read the article "Study Finds a 7-year itch, and a 4-year one" at http://archives.his.com/smartmarriages/1999-October/msg00016.html

One more thing about the Magical SEVEN, the number of 07 brought me a very good luck for this new year because I won a lottery from the new year postcard, even though the prize was only a memorial stamp sheet for a dog year.

Thanks a lot to Wiroon (Charles) for this postcard,
1 in 8 postal new year postcards I got this year

I wish the number of 7 continues bringing good lucks to me.
Do you believe in destiny??

First-Time Snowboarding

Togari Onsen Ski Trip (21-22 Jan 06)

@White Village Hotel, Nagano

Fact Data

1. The second ski trip of the year (the 6th trip in my life)

2. 15 Dekkansais from Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe

3. First try to play snowboarding

4. Only 4 skiers in this trip

5. 7-8 beginners learning how to play snowboards under 3 pros

6. Accidentally met 5 snowboarders from Tokyo

7. More than 100 falls with one head knocking within these 2 days

8. Every parts of my body fulfilled with muscel and pain, especially my arms

9. Togari Onsen, just across the Nozawa Onsen

10. Very sunshine days followed by a snow storm right after finishing the second day

11. Warm hostage from Togari Onsen Japanese people

12. Nagano, the APPLE town

13. Playing cards, sometimes better use your mouth instead of your brain

Impressions

" Wonderful S-curve is not that far beyond what I can do. See you next time, snowboarding "

The Legend of Thai Ski Trip (5-7 Jan 06)

Finally, my 2-week winter holiday is going to pass through. Today, it seems to be the last day for this long vacation and also the national holiday called Seijinnohi or Coming-of-Age Day (หรือเรียกเป็นไทย ก็อาจบอกว่า วันที่บรรลุนิติภาวะ นั่นเอง). The holiday honours and celebrates young people who reach the age of 20 years anytime between April 2nd of the previous year and April 1st of the current year. It is specified in the Japanese Civil Code as the age at which adulthood is attained. In reality this means that you are given the right to vote, smoke and drink alcohol. Today, it will be also the starter day for me to change the mode to the real world of laboratory and study.



After my topic is gonna be changed to a story of Seijin no Hi, I want to dedicate today's blog to An Annual Ski Trip for Thai Students in Japan 2006. Around 75 students from Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya, Yokohama, and Hiroshima had participated this big event at Hakuba Goryu&47 ski field in Nagano. This was my first time joining lots of Thai friends to go skiing, not only as a member of the trip but also as one of Kansai organizing team. It could be definitely said that this year's trip was extremely successful more than our expectation due to several reasons. Eventhough lots of troubles about the bus schedule and hotel reservation occured because of so damn poor cooperation of the ORION tour, it hardly influenced our well-prepared activities.

...Thanks to every members for your great cooperation...

...Thanks to all organizers for your wonderful management...

...Thanks to all group leaders for your kind teaching...

This was my 5th experience for ski and also my most favourite ski trip. Thanks a lot to Obasan (owner) at Sejour Mint resort hotel for your great dinner and breakfast, and also your warm and kind hospitality. (Sorry for other Kansai members who had to move to Elmonte hotel which is relatively much poorer)

DAY1... Ski Lesson

Golf (A junior from Todai) and I spent almost all day teaching our group first-experience members at the beginning course. Both of us left the group to take a Gondola at 4pm and then joined other friends by accident up there. The weather was not that good for the first day.

Special words to Group C สีฟ้า members

N'Ai - You are the best student. so sorry that I didnot take care of you when you went skiing on Intermediate course. Next time, you will be an expert.

N'Mook - Well-done. no need for a triangle posture because you already skipped the level to a parallel. You made our group for a BOO-BEE award. ล้มแล้วลุกไม่ขึ้นเนี่ย น่าจะรู้สาเหตุนา

N'Ping- If you legs were alright, I think you also can do it. เล่นสกีไม่ล้ม ไม่เป็นแน่นอนจ้า

P'Tik- The age is just a number....:)

N'Toey- You also can ski very fast ... You might be the second.

N'Tong- Don't feel giving up

Golf- Thanks a lot for your help teaching our members. You are such a good teacher.

Touch & the gang- Why did you guys change to play snowboard instead??...eiei

Our Sky Blue group members

Day 2... Ski Competition

Our group made the 5th prize from six teams...A BOO_BEE Award
Otsukaresama our representatives...Golf (Head), Touch, N'Toey, and N'Mook

After finishing the competition in the morning session, I brought our members including other groups taking a Gondola to ski another beginning course at the top of the hill. The weather was pretty good today, so P'oh, P'Mai, Nong and I decided to climb up to the peak. It was wonderful .. Let's say such a GORGEOUS view but a bit tiring. There were couple little images of Buddha up there and also a bell. It is 1,676 m at the peak.

The gang at the peak of Hakuba Goryu

So relaxing at the peak...

Then, we changed the course from Goryu to 47 and slided our skis through Intermediate and Advanced courses. Then, we were back at Goryu to join other friends. We finally quit a plan to do a night ski because our legs became extremely tired.

So embarassing

.....my legs was 180 degree due to backward skiing during skiing downhill back to the base...

DAY3... Free Time Skiing

We headed to Gondola first to ski downhill on 47 course like yesterday and our aim was a steak menu at the restaurant at the base of 47 hill. The weather of DAY3 was so bad. It was snowing continuously all day. We hardly noticed further than 10 meters from the spot we were but we still kept continuing with our remain power to ski as much as we can.

This trip, my ski skill was much improved with new posture such as backward skiing. Next time, I might change to try snowboarding... Really wanna know which one is more suitable to me.

Thanks to our gang for your nice ski partners.
Oh-sama- Smart snowboarder...
Noomai- Awesome snowboard jumping..
Nong- Good fan ski partner..
Lar- Crazy and ปากดี ski player.
Taweii- Oodaijini for you ankle.
Punpun- Backward ski traning parter. เสียใจด้วยที่ไม่ได้ถ่ายวีดีโอเก็บไว้ อิอิ
Skilover- Telephonerism....
Poy-chan- Why didn't you come with us on the last day??
And others..............................you guys are also cool!!!!!!!!!!

BYE BYE

See You in Thai Ski Trip 2007

My 2006 New Year Activities

On Dec 31, the last day of 2005, after two of my friends (visiting and staying at my place for a week) back to Bangkok, I did cycling through the coldness of Kyoto from Katsura to donwntown to have a party at Pear's place, then we moved the group to Shinpuhkan to countdown for the Year 2006 , and then cycling along Teramachi while no people walking and shopping and stopped by a small temple to stay calm and pray for a good luck new year (this was much much better than being among tons of people in the place like Yasaka shrine), and finally we went to a first karaoke of year 2006 for 2 hours.

On Jan 1, we also made another small 'Nabe' dinner at Mai's place. And then, I took my bicycle back to my place at 10pm. It was really a good exercise for me after never doing any sports for a couple months. !!! Such a great warming-up before going to a ski trip !!!

On Jan 2, I had another meal with my host family near Katsura Station. My host mom, she prepared traditional Kyoto new year food for me. It consisted of only Fish and Vegetable...

Japanese tea with konbu and ume inside served with a few pieces of sweet (คล้ายๆขนมโก๋)

Small sweet fish (my most favourite), Another fish, and Shiitake

Kuri (เกาลัด), Daikon, Sweet eggs, Kamaboko made from fish, another fish

White Miso Soup with Daikon and Moji

Thank you very much Nakajima-san, my host family in Kyoto, for this traditional meal.

Then, after this lunch, I went to donwtown to see how many Kyoto people waiting for the second day of the year that all department stores in Shijo-Sanjo area (and also all places in Japan) started a super grand sales, especially a Happy or Lucky Bag called, Fukubukuro. Finally, I did not buy any fukubukuro because I wasn't be sure that I would do like all stuff in the lucky bag. I just bought a sweater in Takashimaya.

Fukubukuro in Takashimaya department store

That's all about my new year activities.......NEXT, Let's go skiing...!!!

Happy New Year 2006

Time goes very fast. Another year just passed through.

..Happy New Year 2006..

Chicken Rice and Kimchi Nabe for Katsura New Year Party on Dec 29.