What is the first song that you remember hearing? I don’t mean a song for children. I mean a popular song that you can hear on the radio. I remember hearing “Hound Dog” by Elvis Presley when I was three years old. I didn’t hear it in my own house. My sister and I were too young to listen to popular music on the radio, and my parents didn’t like rock ‘n’ roll. However, there was a girl living next to us who loved Elvis. She had a small record player in her garage, and she played the song almost every day. When I became a teenager, I was the same. I was crazy about the Beatles and listened to their records all the time! (127 words)

There is a new series on Netflix called “A Man on the Inside.” The main character is a retired professor. His daughter is worried about him because he has been staying at home alone since his wife died. She wants him to go out and do something new. He gets a job, but it isn’t an ordinary job. He becomes a spy for a private detective agency. They need him because one customer is an old woman in a home for seniors, and someone stole her necklace. He goes into the home as a guest and starts to look for the thief. If you like comedy, mystery, and a little sadness, I think you will like this series. (118 words)

Today is Giving Tuesday. It comes after Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving, and it is the beginning of the Christmas shopping season in the U.S. These days, you can find Black Friday sales in Japan, too. Cyber Monday is the Monday after Thanksgiving. It is a great day for online sales. Some people thought that spending so much time on shopping was making people selfish, so they started Giving Tuesday in 2012. They wanted people to think about helping other people at this time of year. You can help people in many different ways. You can give money to charities, do volunteer work, or even just give up your seat to someone on a subway. Show some kindness and help others today. (129 words)

It’s the last month of the year, but it’s still autumn here in Nagoya. The trees have finally started to change color. I often take my daughter’s dog for a walk, and we usually go to a park that has ginkgo trees. They are turning yellow, but there is still some green in the leaves. I look forward to walking down the street near my house that is lined with ginkgo trees. They drop their leaves and make a yellow carpet on the road. I like maple trees, too. They are turning red, and they are particularly beautiful when the sun hits them. Now is a great time to go outside! (111 words)

Today is a special day in the U.S. Do you know what it is? Here are some hints. 1) It falls on the fourth Thursday of November. 2) It is the busiest time of year for traveling in the U.S. 3) Families come together from all over the country to celebrate with a big dinner. 4) A typical menu is turkey, green beans, mashed potatoes with gravy, cranberry sauce, and pecan or pumpkin pie. 5) There are lots of American football games on TV. 6) The next day is a special shopping holiday called Black Friday. Send me your guess today, and I will send you the answer tomorrow. (109 words)