Dark!

It was already light when I woke at 4 a.m., but in lots of ways, it was also really dark, literally and figuratively.

We had powerful winds carrying rain clouds over the Japanese capital, casting a bleak pall. But the winds also ensured the rain held off.

And the YouTube algorithm picked up on a topic that touches a really raw nerve for me.

I won’t write about it here because Mrs. Kangaeroo doesn’t want me to use this blog for nasty topics, but watching what came up on my feed left me feeling dark, bitter and resentful.

Of course, the bleakest darkness is Monday morning! But it’ll be all right.

Cop A Gander At These Rippers Too...

  • Why? Why? Why?

    There is nowhere to go for me. Why do they keep posting the apology? I promised never to mention them, and they promised not to come after me. They don’t use my name, but it is clear who they are talking about and everybody knows.

  • No Beg Pardon In Our Garden

    Our garden, Kangaeroo Corner (even though it’s not a corner), is unabashedly at its best in the spring, though it also thrives in places during the other seasons. Flowers are blooming now, bringing immense delight. Flowers I grew from seeds–hardenbergia and kangaroo paw now, a dwarf wattle that briefly flourished last year before I killed it through neglect, and hopefully some banksia–bring a special kind of joy. Having said that, the garden hasn’t provided the comprehensive delight it had brought at times in previous years. Part of the reason is that it hasn’t needed to. For the few years up until the summer of 2024 work wasn’t going exactly to…

  • 荷物を積めるなら、Pack A Wallopの方が良い？

    Yeah, nah. Packing a wallop has nothing to do with packing gear. Pack a wallop is classic Strine meaning to have a strong impact or deliver plenty of power. 日本語の意味 ええとね、packは確かに「積める」という意味があるが、pack a wallop は「大きなインパクトがある」「強い力を持つ」という意味です。 Explanation It can describe a punch, an engine, a storm or anything surprisingly powerful. 日本語での解説 パンチやエンジン、嵐など、強い力を持つものに幅広く使われます。 Example “That little ute packs a wallop.” 日本語訳 「あの小さなユートはすごい力だ。」 Strine Culcha Australians love praising strength with colourful expressions. オージー文化メモ 小さいのに力強いものを褒めるときによく使われます。 Related Terms

  • Cold, Wet and Dark

    Doesn’t get any more archetypically Monday than today….cold, wet, dark and bleak. Kangaeroo wasn’t too keen on getting out on the bike with a huge day ahead. But it was precisely because the day promises to be demanding that dragged him out in the end. Rain had been forecast, but the prediction was that it would be intermittent and not heavy. That was exactly what happened. Rather than hit the dark bike path where many people dress in black and are hard to see at the clearest of times, Kangaeroo decided to stay on the main roads, which were hard enough to navigate in the dark and wet. Couple of…

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    「やばいリンガル」Knock（軽く叩く）

    　米・英語はknockするというのは、軽くドアなどを叩くという意味だけど、オージー英語になるとknockは別の意味もある。続けて読んでその意味を知ろう。 　A knock is a slight bump or tap for most of the English-speaking world, but gains additional meaning in Strine, or Australian English. Read on to find out what that is.