How I take care of my throat these days (En)

 I caught a cold in the summer for the first time in several years. Although some time has passed since then, I have been waking up with a dry throat for more than a month now. Also, during choir practice after Sunday service, I often find it difficult to sing as clearly as I want. It feels like there is a thin phlegm in my throat.

When I was in the second semester of my first year at music college, I lost my voice because of throat inflammation and couldn’t sing for three weeks. But during the practical exam, I had a miraculous experience — I was able to sing for three minutes. If that time was 10 at the worst, now it is less than 1, so I don’t go to the doctor. My vocal teacher, who is around the same age as I am, said that aging is the cause. 😅

I haven’t done anything special to care for my throat, but if aging is the cause, I think it might be time to use a humidifier again. I stopped using it for a few years because the windows in my condominium got unusually fogged with condensation. It’s like a never-ending cycle, but for my throat’s sake, I shouldn’t be lazy. 😅

Last week, I bought some throat candies for the first time in a while. “龍角散のど飴” is popular among singers, and I think it is the most affordable one. I also used to take Ricola’s (Swiss-made) herbal candies when I felt nauseous from migraines. They are, of course, good for the throat.

I used to be able to buy them easily at train station kiosks, but since their contract with Yamanouchi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.（山之内製薬） ended, they are now sold only at stores like 成城石井 that handle imported goods. Of course, you can also buy them in bulk on Amazon. There also seems to be a mint flavor. I will try that next time.

 

I suddenly remembered the word “スロートコート” which my choir teacher, who passed away five years ago, used to mention many years ago. I searched for it on Amazon and found “Throat Coat.” It seems to be a popular herbal tea that literally protects the throat and is loved by singers.

It’s a slightly sweet herbal tea. It doesn’t taste like medicine, but it’s not the kind of tea you can drink cup after cup. I found that drinking it before bed helps protect the throat and prevents dryness in the morning. I really recommend it. 😊

 

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Singing Solo at Sunday Service: "十字架のかげに"(Eng./It)

In our church, five of us take turns singing solo at the Sunday service. When there are only four Sundays in a month, I don’t get asked very often. But this time, after the service, I was asked directly, “Please sing next week.” I thought it would probably be at the end of next month, so I was a little surprised and felt a bit nervous. 😅

I usually have my vocal lesson on Saturday, but my teacher was going on a trip from Friday. So the lesson had to be on Thursday, three days before the service. Having several days in between made me a little worried. 😅

This time, I sang Hymn No. 396, “十字架のかげに”. Before the choir rehearsal, I practiced with the pianist. I planned to sing it one note higher than the original, but following her advice, I sang it one and a half notes higher instead.

Usually, raising it by another half note doesn’t make such a big difference, but for this hymn, I really felt I had to use much more breath and stronger abdominal muscles' support. I sent the video to my teacher for feedback, and she said, “Your voice is coming out better than before. I just wanted you to keep your focus and abdominal support a bit more in the fourth verse.” 

Yes, I’ll do my best next time!!😃

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Un canto da solista al culto della domenica: "十字架のかげに"

Nella mia chiesa, siamo cinque persone che cantano da solista durante il culto della domenica. Questa volta mi hanno chiesto di cantare la prossima settimana, e sono stata un po’ sorpresa.  😅

Di solito faccio la lezione di canto il sabato, ma la mia insegnante partiva per un viaggio,
così la lezione è stata di giovedì, tre giorni prima del culto.

Ho cantato l’inno numero 396, “十字架のかげに”. Prima delle prove del coro, ho fatto pratica con la pianista. Ho cantato in una tonalità un po’ più alta del solito.

Ho mandato questo video alla mia insegnante, e lei ha detto: “La tua voce è più forte di prima. Continua con la concentrazione e il sostegno del respiro.” 

Farò del mio meglio la prossima volta!!😃

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Read "Everyone Gets Gold Stars But Me!" by Charles M. Schulz (En)

I recently read Everyone Gets Gold Stars But Me! —

A short Peanuts story (for ages 2-4) I bought on Kindle about nine years ago for only 100 yen! It's just a 32-page picture book, simple enough to finish in less than ten minutes, but I had completely forgotten I’d read it back then.

When I checked Amazon this time, I was surprised to find that the Kindle version no longer exists and the paperback now costs around 1,500 yen. Apparently, it has become something of a collector's item!

Still, it’s a lovely book — full color, beautifully illustrated, and very easy to read even for English learners. As a lifelong Snoopy fan (not much into Disney, though 😊), I was simply happy to see these colorful Peanuts characters again. Sometimes a small, gentle story is all we need to make us smile.

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