Saturday, March 05, 2005
Diatribe
Culture Overload
Sorry for not posting sooner. I don't feel sick anymore, although I am having some nagging congestion problems. Let's hope my nose improves as the weather warms up. Here's a quick recap of the last few days.
Thursday 3/3/05: I'm a little concerned that I'm starting to struggle to stay awake in every class these days. I think I need to try and get more sleep. If it means watching less Adult Swim, so be it. I had no trouble staying awake Thursday night for another meeting of the AGA. I brought my new game KOF:MI for the group to enjoy. I'm very happy to report that I was invincible, defeating some eleven straight opponents before we finally decided to watch some anime. Now I am well aware this is due to my advantage of playing the game beforehand and familiarizing myself with its features, but I feel pretty happy that I was able to rule anything for a night. Future meetings will no doubt be dominated by someone else. Best case scenario: a competitive group of three or four players (hopefully including me) level off and battle each other furiously with no clear leader.
Friday 3/4/05: I visited the Health Center to get a quick check-up and have some more papers signed to clear me to study abroad. My symptoms thankfully cleared up in time for the doctor to declare me in "excellent" health, the best choice on the form. I just hope that no one worries about my use of Zoloft three years ago, as I know anti-depressants haven't yet reached casual acceptance in Japan. Anyway, I'm good now, thanks for asking.
After the checkup and a bizarre lunch (Frito Pie?) I spent the afternoon learning about Nô drama. Our Japanese Drama class didn't meet Monday or Wednesday to allow for this marathon session with two visiting Nô senseis. These guys were fucking hardcore. They looked and spoke very quietly, but when they opened up and starting singing or dancing, they transformed into bold motherfuckers. I was happy to stay the entire three hours because the odds of me actually seeing a Nô performance is pretty slim. This will do, as life experiences go.
I returned home and took a much-needed nap and ate another oddity for dinner, a Mashed Potato Enchilada. Then I was off for a performance of 110 Flights on campus. The play was written and performed by students. I can't say I really enjoyed it, but I'm not going to bash it because it is still a work in progress. I just wish my Acting teacher had given me a better sense of what I'm supposed to write about it. Should I evaluate the performances based on my six weeks of Acting classes? Or should I mention how nice the set looked? Eh, I guess she'll tell me on Tuesday and I'll write in between studying for my midterms. I've got somewhere between 5-6 tests next week and the scariest one is Monday afternoon.
Saturday 3/5/05: OK, in truth nothing has happened yet today but I wanted to share this article about the long-developed new album from Guns N' Roses. I grew up a huge GNR fan and deep down I'm still waiting for them to entertain me, even if everyone in the band has been replaced at this point. According to the article, I shouldn't hold my breath while I wait.
つづく... (Click here to read more)
Thursday 3/3/05: I'm a little concerned that I'm starting to struggle to stay awake in every class these days. I think I need to try and get more sleep. If it means watching less Adult Swim, so be it. I had no trouble staying awake Thursday night for another meeting of the AGA. I brought my new game KOF:MI for the group to enjoy. I'm very happy to report that I was invincible, defeating some eleven straight opponents before we finally decided to watch some anime. Now I am well aware this is due to my advantage of playing the game beforehand and familiarizing myself with its features, but I feel pretty happy that I was able to rule anything for a night. Future meetings will no doubt be dominated by someone else. Best case scenario: a competitive group of three or four players (hopefully including me) level off and battle each other furiously with no clear leader.
Friday 3/4/05: I visited the Health Center to get a quick check-up and have some more papers signed to clear me to study abroad. My symptoms thankfully cleared up in time for the doctor to declare me in "excellent" health, the best choice on the form. I just hope that no one worries about my use of Zoloft three years ago, as I know anti-depressants haven't yet reached casual acceptance in Japan. Anyway, I'm good now, thanks for asking.
After the checkup and a bizarre lunch (Frito Pie?) I spent the afternoon learning about Nô drama. Our Japanese Drama class didn't meet Monday or Wednesday to allow for this marathon session with two visiting Nô senseis. These guys were fucking hardcore. They looked and spoke very quietly, but when they opened up and starting singing or dancing, they transformed into bold motherfuckers. I was happy to stay the entire three hours because the odds of me actually seeing a Nô performance is pretty slim. This will do, as life experiences go.
I returned home and took a much-needed nap and ate another oddity for dinner, a Mashed Potato Enchilada. Then I was off for a performance of 110 Flights on campus. The play was written and performed by students. I can't say I really enjoyed it, but I'm not going to bash it because it is still a work in progress. I just wish my Acting teacher had given me a better sense of what I'm supposed to write about it. Should I evaluate the performances based on my six weeks of Acting classes? Or should I mention how nice the set looked? Eh, I guess she'll tell me on Tuesday and I'll write in between studying for my midterms. I've got somewhere between 5-6 tests next week and the scariest one is Monday afternoon.
Saturday 3/5/05: OK, in truth nothing has happened yet today but I wanted to share this article about the long-developed new album from Guns N' Roses. I grew up a huge GNR fan and deep down I'm still waiting for them to entertain me, even if everyone in the band has been replaced at this point. According to the article, I shouldn't hold my breath while I wait.
つづく... (Click here to read more)
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
Equal Time
In the past, you've heard me extoll the virtues of Engrish.com and it's hilarious stockpile of misused English from around the world (ok, mostly Japan). Well, I've found a site that returns the favor, Hanzi Smatter. It showcases hanzi featured in the West, usually incorrectly. Nothing's funnier than somebody who invests in a tattoo they think looks awesome but it really means "eunuch."
In your face, whitey!
つづく... (Click here to read more)
In your face, whitey!
つづく... (Click here to read more)
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
Recovery In Progress
OK, I think my fever is gone for good by now. Congestion and coughing, no such luck.
Today we had a beautiful snowstorm that has yet to let up as of this writing. There was so much snow they cancelled all classes before 10:15 AM. Naturally, my first class of the day started at (you guessed it) 10:15. I rushed out to catch the bus this morning and I saw the bus pull into the stop. Unlike every other morning bus ever, there was no crowd of students to delay its departure. In fact, no one was there at all. I ran full-speed to try and catch it. Unfortunately, it seems that I had left my backpack open, and everything fell out, and I mean everything. Things fell out that I didn't even know I had in there (one black sock, WTF). All my books and various paper products landed right in the beautiful snow, many of them open and face down. Turning to realize what had happened, knowing full well the bus was leaving the stop, I let loose a stream of profanity that would have made my father blush. I tried to gather all my belongings before they became super-saturated, after I finished my anxiety-ridden coughing fit. Easily the worst start to any day I've had here in Albany.
After reaching and enduring Acting class, I rushed to complete a Japanese assignment I had failed to complete during my fabulous symptom weekend. This meant squandering any last minute chance to prepare for the two tests we had lined up today, both of which were major grades. I suppose I should have studied for them last night, if I hadn't been working on that Japanese assignment still. No worries, loyal readers, I knocked both exams out of the park! So today ended a lot better than it began. Let's hope the week and the month follow suit.
つづく... (Click here to read more)
Today we had a beautiful snowstorm that has yet to let up as of this writing. There was so much snow they cancelled all classes before 10:15 AM. Naturally, my first class of the day started at (you guessed it) 10:15. I rushed out to catch the bus this morning and I saw the bus pull into the stop. Unlike every other morning bus ever, there was no crowd of students to delay its departure. In fact, no one was there at all. I ran full-speed to try and catch it. Unfortunately, it seems that I had left my backpack open, and everything fell out, and I mean everything. Things fell out that I didn't even know I had in there (one black sock, WTF). All my books and various paper products landed right in the beautiful snow, many of them open and face down. Turning to realize what had happened, knowing full well the bus was leaving the stop, I let loose a stream of profanity that would have made my father blush. I tried to gather all my belongings before they became super-saturated, after I finished my anxiety-ridden coughing fit. Easily the worst start to any day I've had here in Albany.
After reaching and enduring Acting class, I rushed to complete a Japanese assignment I had failed to complete during my fabulous symptom weekend. This meant squandering any last minute chance to prepare for the two tests we had lined up today, both of which were major grades. I suppose I should have studied for them last night, if I hadn't been working on that Japanese assignment still. No worries, loyal readers, I knocked both exams out of the park! So today ended a lot better than it began. Let's hope the week and the month follow suit.
つづく... (Click here to read more)
Monday, February 28, 2005
The Latest
Fever, sore throat are gone. Congestion and coughing are worse than ever before. And now my head hurts again. Maybe I should stop taking medicine? Things have gotten worse ever since I started taking medicine on Friday night.
Oh, and I didn't watch the Oscars but I heard what Sean Penn did. Way to go, dick.
つづく... (Click here to read more)
Oh, and I didn't watch the Oscars but I heard what Sean Penn did. Way to go, dick.
つづく... (Click here to read more)
Sunday, February 27, 2005
Fabulous Symptom Weekend
I want off this merry-go-round! My fever appears to be gone, but last night I awoke at two in the morning soaked with sweat. I ended up sleeping on a towel like it was goddamn summertime all over again. My sore throat has also passed, but I'm still coughing and now I'm totally congested and my voice is all nerdy.
What's worse: getting sick on weekdays or weekends? While I feel like getting sick on weekends is a criminal loss of my free time (and homework time too), Dylan suggested that it is far worse to be sick when one is actually busy. Sure, being sick now makes it harder to prepare for Tuesday's chapter test, but better to be sick now and healthy during the test, right? Or maybe I'll just be sick for the test too. >_<
つづく... (Click here to read more)
What's worse: getting sick on weekdays or weekends? While I feel like getting sick on weekends is a criminal loss of my free time (and homework time too), Dylan suggested that it is far worse to be sick when one is actually busy. Sure, being sick now makes it harder to prepare for Tuesday's chapter test, but better to be sick now and healthy during the test, right? Or maybe I'll just be sick for the test too. >_<
つづく... (Click here to read more)
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