JerryB

[JerryB]

My name is Gerald Biederman.

I was born on June 13, 1942 in Boston Massachusetts.

 

I graduated from Boston State College, now defunct, with

a BA in English. I later received a master's degree in Education

from Harvard University and a degree in French language from

the Sorbonne.

 

I came to live in Japan in 1978. I came here in part because

of a long standing curiosity about the country and it's people

and also to teach English because at the time the jobs for

English teachers in the U.S. were scarce.

 

I've taught in a wide variety of settings including universities.

At present I teach English as a second language at an adult

education center and at home and I enjoy my work.

 

My wife is a high school teacher in the Osaka school system.

We've been married since 1987, no kids, no regrets.

 

I've been reading the posts here on a daily basis for several

weeks and feel like I know most of the frequent posters. I've

been very impressed with the discussions and with the high

level of intelligence and I'm looking forward to joining you.

 

Until now I've been writing short essays about my life and thoughts

on another forum in a section called Thoughts Before Sleeping.

I would like to join this community because I believe it would

be more compatible with, and more responsive to my thoughts on

and interest in cosmology and other science related topics.

 

I think I might bring a different perspective to some of the

discussions here, the perspective of an English teacher. I

often feel that some of the confusion in science is due to a

limited vocabulary applied to an unlimited set of phenomena.

Of course it can't be helped. but it helps to recognize it and

that is something that I often focus on.

 

I have little training in formal science but a life long interest

in the nature of the universe and the nature of humanity.

I know that the people here share these interests.

 

As I said before, I feel like I know all of you quite well after

reading your posts for many hours and so I've given you

this extended introduction in hopes that it might help you

get to feel that you know me well also.

[Buffy]

Welcome Jerry! Glad you could join us! Jump right in!

 

Cheers,

Buffy

[JerryB]

Welcome Jerry! Glad you could join us! Jump right in!

 

Cheers,

Buffy

Buffy, you're one of my favorite people here. Thanks for the welcome.

[Dark Mind]

Well, I can honestly say I do. What an introduction :). It was so... eloquent, and flowed so smoothly. It is painfully obvious you are an English teacher :D. I couldn't even find one spelling or grammar error in your whole post! That's unheard of in this forum, at least with a post that long. I'm looking forward to reading more about you and your thoughts and ideas. I hope we are able to help you along in our never-ending quest for information.

 

May you pass many happy hours in front of your screen, staring at the sacred texts of Hypography :D!

[Dark Mind]

Buffy, you're one of my favorite people here. Thanks for the welcome.

She gets that a lot.:D

 

Not to choose favorites (well...) Buffy and C1ay are my two most favorite people here. They are second to none and therefore Tormod, IrishEyes, Tinny, bumab, OpenMind5, pgrmdave, alexander, orbsycli, etc. etc. (sorry if you weren't named :D) are all third. :)

[JerryB]

Well, It is painfully obvious you are an English teacher :)

 

Yes and I was painfully aware of it. Such a stiff introduction.

Truth is I was feeling just a touch self conscious. But your

friendly response helped to relax me and was most welcome.

I'm grateful to you for it.

[JerryB]

She gets that a lot.:D

 

Not to choose favorites (well...) Buffy and C1ay are my two most favorite people here. They are second to none and therefore Tormod, IrishEyes, Tinny, bumab, OpenMind5, pgrmdave, alexander, orbsycli, etc. etc. (sorry if you weren't named :D) are all third. :)

 

Oh well, I'll just have to try and work my way up.

[Queso]

JAPAN! i want to learn how to speak japanese! i am fascinated with their culture, you lucky guy. welcome to our forums, say what you please.

[pgrmdave]

Welcome to our forums, Jerry! Have fun, I hope to see you in the forums :)

[C1ay]

Welcome to Hypography. Thank you for such an extended introduction.

[JerryB]

JAPAN! i want to learn how to speak japanese! i am fascinated with their culture, you lucky guy. welcome to our forums, say what you please.

 

Yoroshiku

That's your first Japanese lesson. It means "Pleased to meet you."

And Japanese culture is interesting. Any questions?

[Queso]

i don't even know what to ask. i just want to experience it, you know?

after i saw lost in translation, i knew i had to go.

Yoroshiku, jerryB :hihi:

[JerryB]

i don't even know what to ask. i just want to experience it, you know?

after i saw lost in translation, i knew i had to go.

Yoroshiku, jerryB :hihi:

 

That's a bit surprising. "Lost in Translation" didn't get much play

in Japan. I had to buy a DVD in order to watch it and then I

understood. The Japanese must have found it embarrassing.

They like to get attention but they are sensitive to humiliation.

The scene with the prostitute alone would have stopped many

movies from showing it. But there were other things in it

that would have embarrassed the Japanese. I don't think the

producer had any intention of doing that. I do think she just

wanted to show what she thought was interesting about it.

 

Anyway, if you do have a chance to visit, plan carefully.

The cost of living here is high. Hotels travel and food are

particularly expensive.

[niviene]

JerryB, welcome aboard. I am a fellow linguist, and although I only took Japanese for a short time, I really loved the culture and always wanted to try living there for awhile. I saw a few ads awhile back for people to teach English in Japan... there were some days when I considered packing up and leaving everything behind, so I am just a tad jealous. :hihi: I look forward to reading your contributions here.