Saturday, September 17, 2005
Returning to Form (albeit slowly)
Bouncing back is bouncing back, no? Maybe I didn't meet any young people tonight but I had a pretty good time none the less.
I've got eggs now, might as well boil them.
After contacting several people this evening who were up to nothing at all, I went for a walk to find my own fun (and dinner). I walked for at least twenty minutes, making a few odd turns along the way before I settled on some kind of Chinese restaurant. Well, it served Chinese-style food but it wasn't like any Chinese restaurant I had ever been to before. Imagine a Denny's with a Chinese menu and I think you can picture where I ate tonight. The food was pretty good though; I had some kind of gyoza/shumai combo with soup and rice and pickled something-or-other. My banter with the waitress was eased by her novice command of English; there's a good chance she's actually a KG student.
What have we here?
While walking home from the restaurant I was drawn into a small izakaya advertising "half price drinks" for this holiday weekend. How could I resist? I went inside and I must say I was surprised. Half-priced drinks yet there were only two customers inside! Of course, the place was so small they occupied about 25% of the establishment's total seats. I sat down and bumbled my way into ordering a beer. The barman did his best to chat me up and I did my best to answer although he spoke quite fast and casually so I didn't understand much. When in doubt, I just nodded and said nn which is a colloquial equivalent of "yes."
It just so happened that this place had was also a karaoke bar and they had the most advanced karaoke set-up I've ever seen, which was humorous when contrasted with the relatively miniscule size of the bar. You could fit, at most, twelve people in there if you shoved them all in but this machine was top of line: multiple monitors, touch-screen remote controls and a gigantic list of Japanese songs plus a sizeable list of English, Chinese, Korean and Filipino songs as well! Hyde, you would have flipped! The best (or perhaps strangest) part was after each song, your performance was given a score from zero to 100. I don't know how this score was determined but I thought it was hilarious. It cost 100 Yen to sing but these guys were so anxious to hear me belt one out they gave me saabisu, "service" (if Japanese people want to give a customer something for nothing, they will use this word).
How could I refuse? It would be rude to decline a free song! Naturally, I picked "New York, New York" and scored a 92, pretty good! I tend to waver from the progress meter so I assume that deducted from my score, although I suppose the machine might also have been evaluating my pitch or key. All three men applauded politely. After two more drinks, I decided I had to try singing a song in Japanese. The on-screen lyrics all included furigana so it was just a matter of picking a tune I knew and having a go at it. I considered trying a Gackt song but frankly, I don't have enough talent or reading ability to try any of his work. I opted for something light and not too fast-paced: the theme from Cutey Honey. The lyrics are on the "randy" side but I was the only one laughing. I kind of thought the sight of seeing a slightly-inebriated foreigner singing a Japanese song would strike them as amusing but I suppose they've seen my type before.
I fumbled a lot of the words because I couldn't quite read them fast enough but I totally nailed the chorus parts, especially "Honey Flash!!" My score was an 87 which surprised me. I sang an unfamiliar song in a strange language and managed just five points below an English song I know like the back of my hand? The next guy sang a song in Japanese and only scored in the 70s so maybe I am good at this after all. I called it a night after that and returned home.
So that's what I did today. Pretty nice turnaround from yesterday, right?
つづく... (Click here to read more)
I've got eggs now, might as well boil them.
After contacting several people this evening who were up to nothing at all, I went for a walk to find my own fun (and dinner). I walked for at least twenty minutes, making a few odd turns along the way before I settled on some kind of Chinese restaurant. Well, it served Chinese-style food but it wasn't like any Chinese restaurant I had ever been to before. Imagine a Denny's with a Chinese menu and I think you can picture where I ate tonight. The food was pretty good though; I had some kind of gyoza/shumai combo with soup and rice and pickled something-or-other. My banter with the waitress was eased by her novice command of English; there's a good chance she's actually a KG student.
What have we here?
While walking home from the restaurant I was drawn into a small izakaya advertising "half price drinks" for this holiday weekend. How could I resist? I went inside and I must say I was surprised. Half-priced drinks yet there were only two customers inside! Of course, the place was so small they occupied about 25% of the establishment's total seats. I sat down and bumbled my way into ordering a beer. The barman did his best to chat me up and I did my best to answer although he spoke quite fast and casually so I didn't understand much. When in doubt, I just nodded and said nn which is a colloquial equivalent of "yes."
It just so happened that this place had was also a karaoke bar and they had the most advanced karaoke set-up I've ever seen, which was humorous when contrasted with the relatively miniscule size of the bar. You could fit, at most, twelve people in there if you shoved them all in but this machine was top of line: multiple monitors, touch-screen remote controls and a gigantic list of Japanese songs plus a sizeable list of English, Chinese, Korean and Filipino songs as well! Hyde, you would have flipped! The best (or perhaps strangest) part was after each song, your performance was given a score from zero to 100. I don't know how this score was determined but I thought it was hilarious. It cost 100 Yen to sing but these guys were so anxious to hear me belt one out they gave me saabisu, "service" (if Japanese people want to give a customer something for nothing, they will use this word).
How could I refuse? It would be rude to decline a free song! Naturally, I picked "New York, New York" and scored a 92, pretty good! I tend to waver from the progress meter so I assume that deducted from my score, although I suppose the machine might also have been evaluating my pitch or key. All three men applauded politely. After two more drinks, I decided I had to try singing a song in Japanese. The on-screen lyrics all included furigana so it was just a matter of picking a tune I knew and having a go at it. I considered trying a Gackt song but frankly, I don't have enough talent or reading ability to try any of his work. I opted for something light and not too fast-paced: the theme from Cutey Honey. The lyrics are on the "randy" side but I was the only one laughing. I kind of thought the sight of seeing a slightly-inebriated foreigner singing a Japanese song would strike them as amusing but I suppose they've seen my type before.
I fumbled a lot of the words because I couldn't quite read them fast enough but I totally nailed the chorus parts, especially "Honey Flash!!" My score was an 87 which surprised me. I sang an unfamiliar song in a strange language and managed just five points below an English song I know like the back of my hand? The next guy sang a song in Japanese and only scored in the 70s so maybe I am good at this after all. I called it a night after that and returned home.
So that's what I did today. Pretty nice turnaround from yesterday, right?
つづく... (Click here to read more)
No Such Thing as "TV Dinner" here
Wow, looking back at last night's post feels weird. I wasn't drunk or anything (far from it) but I have trouble remembering how I got to feel so angry and upset over something that was, honestly, pretty stupid. I think my sister's comment was especially apropos. There's absolutely no reason to get bent out of shape over this even if I assume that I was lied to, which is not even a given. After all, who is this person anyway? Nobody! So why care what she thinks?
I didn't sleep much last night, despite staying up past 1AM while doing Internet things and listening to my modest collection of music. I think I am still having trouble with the whole sleep-on-the-floor thing. Yeah, there are tatami mats on the floor and a cushion underneath my futon but it is still very rigid compared to an American bed or couch. Not only that, but I spent all summer sleeping on a waterbed in my dad's place; that's a rough transition to make.
While I went through my usual AM hygiene routine, I remembered that Saturday morning in Japan equals Friday night on the east coast, so I could expect to find some Yankee baseball on TV. Sure enough, I got to watch a few innings where the Yanks were doing very well. I ended up turning it off once they had an 11-4 lead, although the Blue Jays eventually came close to tying the game.
I had some takoyaki for lunch on my way to the local supermarket. Now that I have some food to cook it was time to try my hand at shopping again. This time, I did a little advance research to try and educate myself about what items I needed to buy. It helped a lot, although much of the food in the supermarket is very confusing to me. For example, I learned the Japanese for "low-fat milk," 低脂肪牛乳 (teishibôgyûnyû) but in the store there were three or four different containers with those words on the package, all different colors and prices. I think some had extra nutrients but the ones that mentioned bitamin D or karushiumu ("calcium" ^_^) seemed to cost less than the ones that didn't. I ended up picking the one that said "牛乳 (milk) 100%" since that seemed like the safest choice. It was reasonably priced as well. There was also a surprising variety of eggs which I hadn't fully anticipated, but I did enjoy the clear plastic packaging that allows for easy inspection of the contents without actually opening them and handling each egg.
One thing that didn't go so well was my search for more deodorant. I used up the last of my solid and I'm just using the spray-kind which doesn't really feel as good. Using the Internet, I thought I had found the right word to use, 消臭剤 (shôshûzai) but that turned out to be the stuff you leave out to make the entire room smell nice, not the kind of thing I could rub under my armpit. I eventually found some deodorant in the store pharmacy but it was ludicrously expensive: 600 Yen for a container the size of my thumb. Don't these people ever sweat? Or maybe they just let nature run its course? I tried that once and the results were not to anyone's liking.
So that's been the day so far. It's only mid-afternoon right now and I'm posting, evidence that I've got nothing more important to tend to at the moment. Somehow I've got to find myself a social gathering tonight; I still have an itch to drink that last night did not sufficiently scratch.
つづく... (Click here to read more)
I didn't sleep much last night, despite staying up past 1AM while doing Internet things and listening to my modest collection of music. I think I am still having trouble with the whole sleep-on-the-floor thing. Yeah, there are tatami mats on the floor and a cushion underneath my futon but it is still very rigid compared to an American bed or couch. Not only that, but I spent all summer sleeping on a waterbed in my dad's place; that's a rough transition to make.
While I went through my usual AM hygiene routine, I remembered that Saturday morning in Japan equals Friday night on the east coast, so I could expect to find some Yankee baseball on TV. Sure enough, I got to watch a few innings where the Yanks were doing very well. I ended up turning it off once they had an 11-4 lead, although the Blue Jays eventually came close to tying the game.
I had some takoyaki for lunch on my way to the local supermarket. Now that I have some food to cook it was time to try my hand at shopping again. This time, I did a little advance research to try and educate myself about what items I needed to buy. It helped a lot, although much of the food in the supermarket is very confusing to me. For example, I learned the Japanese for "low-fat milk," 低脂肪牛乳 (teishibôgyûnyû) but in the store there were three or four different containers with those words on the package, all different colors and prices. I think some had extra nutrients but the ones that mentioned bitamin D or karushiumu ("calcium" ^_^) seemed to cost less than the ones that didn't. I ended up picking the one that said "牛乳 (milk) 100%" since that seemed like the safest choice. It was reasonably priced as well. There was also a surprising variety of eggs which I hadn't fully anticipated, but I did enjoy the clear plastic packaging that allows for easy inspection of the contents without actually opening them and handling each egg.
One thing that didn't go so well was my search for more deodorant. I used up the last of my solid and I'm just using the spray-kind which doesn't really feel as good. Using the Internet, I thought I had found the right word to use, 消臭剤 (shôshûzai) but that turned out to be the stuff you leave out to make the entire room smell nice, not the kind of thing I could rub under my armpit. I eventually found some deodorant in the store pharmacy but it was ludicrously expensive: 600 Yen for a container the size of my thumb. Don't these people ever sweat? Or maybe they just let nature run its course? I tried that once and the results were not to anyone's liking.
So that's been the day so far. It's only mid-afternoon right now and I'm posting, evidence that I've got nothing more important to tend to at the moment. Somehow I've got to find myself a social gathering tonight; I still have an itch to drink that last night did not sufficiently scratch.
つづく... (Click here to read more)
Friday, September 16, 2005
Ouch...
My chest hurts. HURTS! Partly because I've been coughing so much this week but mostly due to the spectacular debacle of an evening that I just experienced. It feels like I got punched and it's exactly this kind of feeling that I've been avoiding by not trying to go out and meet people more often.
The day started off pretty nicely. The weather was comfortable, again, which makes me begin to hope that the agonizing heat and humidity of summer may finally be behind us. I went to the bank to get some more cash for the three-day weekend before heading to class. Class went smoothly; I got another perfect score on my last quiz. So far, so good.
I met Kazu for lunch. We had a little trouble finding seats because today was officially the first day of classes for the Japanese students, so the student body on campus has suddenly increased exponentially. Still, once we were seated we actually encountered two (female) friends of his who sat down with us. I'd like to think I was pretty chatty today, trying my hand in both languages and getting my points across. After lunch, I had two more classes which both went OK. Again, a good day by most standards to this point.
See what I mean? Grabbing a bus is no longer an easy task.
This sign directs drivers to nearby parking lots and even indicates which ones have spaces available.
Alright, now I need to offer a little background. For the last few weeks I've been exploring various Internet options for meeting new people. One of the first things I tried was Craigslist since there happens to be an Osaka-specific listing and I had some pretty good experiences with the New York edition over the summer. The Osaka page is a lot smaller since most people here don't speak English but I found one particular ad which seemed fun: a woman who was in town for the month and looking to hang out with an English-speaking person. Nothing like a date, mind you, this was the "platonic" section. Being an English speaker I volunteered and we sent each other a few e-mails back and forth. Earlier attempts to meet ended up conflicting with other plans but over the last few days we agreed to meet tonight and go to Kobe. Last night she even called me to discuss the plans: we would meet at Kyôbashi Station at five o'clock and then head to Kobe. This morning I sent her a picture of myself in order to facilitate said meeting, although I suppose that was a little redundant since I would almost certainly be the only white guy standing around the station.
Enough recap: I left school promptly at four to get to Hirakata City Station, opting not to bother checking my e-mail before I left (big mistake). I ended up getting to the station super-early which means I got to Kyôbashi super early as well. I used the extra time to cool off with a cafe au lait and wash my face in a restroom (by the evening, I am inevitably quite shiny). And then I waited in the predetermined area.
Five o'clock came, nothing. I thought maybe I had said five thirty.
Five thirty, nothing. I tried to walk around a bit to make sure I was clearly visible to anyone who could possibly be looking for me.
When it came to be six o'clock I knew something was up. I thought maybe she might have sent me an e-mail in the afternoon but given that she had my mobile phone number and mobile e-mail address, I couldn't believe she wouldn't use it to cancel. I tried to use my phone to access my email (yeah, it goes on the web) but viewing web pages on a phone is not an exact science; I couldn't figure out how to input any text in order to actually log in.
I wanted to give up and just get something to eat or drink but I also thought maybe I should just go home. Not sure how to proceed (and feeling very rejected) I called Scott for advice. He suggested I try finding an Internet cafe and reading my mail before completely writing off the meeting. I found the nearest dude handing out flyers and asked him where an Internet cafe was. I didn't really understand his directions but his restaurant's flyer had a map of the area so I tried to find my way. As I got close I got handed another flyer, this time for a multi-purpose business which included an Internet cafe. Hey, pretty lucky! I asked this guy how to get to his establishment and he tried to explain it me but I failed to understand. So he went ahead and led me straight to it (damn, this service rocks).
After verifying that they weren't going to rob me or rip me off (150 Yen for 30 minutes seemed more than fair), I logged in and checked my mail. Indeed, I had received a message at two o'clock:
Looks like a fun area to kill a few hours, right?
I decided to go to the restaurant the first flyer guy had been advertising and have a beer. I struggled with the ordering process, eventually picking what I thought was yakitori-esque grilled meats. Instead, they were breaded and deep-fried which certainly was tasty but certainly not very healthy. I left and walked around the area some more, hoping to find some kind of bar or similar hangout. I failed to do so and just decided I should try going home and drinking in Hirakata instead. I ended up missing the right train by mere seconds and waited about ten minutes for the next one.
Back in Hirakata, I was totally sober and borderline despondent. What the hell was wrong with me? What about me made this person run for the hills rather than meet me for a casual get-together? Or worse, was this all in my head? I had no answers, just incredible feelings of inadequacy and frustration. I was unhappy, lonely, depressed, you name it. All I wanted was to feel good and I knew a beer or two would help me tremendously. I knew there was a Wara wara location (remember?) near the station so I figured I would pop in and down a few. I went inside and found myself unable to understand anything the waitress was telling me - contextually, I presumed she was telling me there would be a wait but I couldn't discern any of the words and I didn't know how to inquire about seating at a "bar" or something similar. I certainly didn't want to sit and wait for a table so I could sit by myself and drink beers, that would only worsen my mood. I was trying to force myself into a social situation but I just got fed up and left.
So here I am, back in the dorm again on Friday night, alone. I'm not giving up but I feel like absolute garbage. There's a lump in my throat and I'm not talking about mucus; it's a genuine feeling of despair that I'm refusing to acknowledge lest it consume me.
Does everyone have this happen to them? Am I trying so hard not to procrastinate on making friends that I'm actually setting myself up to feel bad everytime a plan falls through? Or am I just going to have to get used to this until someone looks past my misshapen appearance and chooses to spend time with me? Please, if you have any thoughts on this matter, don't hold back. If you think I'm nuts, say so. After this experience I need some completely honest feedback, even if it's not positive.
つづく... (Click here to read more)
The day started off pretty nicely. The weather was comfortable, again, which makes me begin to hope that the agonizing heat and humidity of summer may finally be behind us. I went to the bank to get some more cash for the three-day weekend before heading to class. Class went smoothly; I got another perfect score on my last quiz. So far, so good.
I met Kazu for lunch. We had a little trouble finding seats because today was officially the first day of classes for the Japanese students, so the student body on campus has suddenly increased exponentially. Still, once we were seated we actually encountered two (female) friends of his who sat down with us. I'd like to think I was pretty chatty today, trying my hand in both languages and getting my points across. After lunch, I had two more classes which both went OK. Again, a good day by most standards to this point.
See what I mean? Grabbing a bus is no longer an easy task.
This sign directs drivers to nearby parking lots and even indicates which ones have spaces available.
Alright, now I need to offer a little background. For the last few weeks I've been exploring various Internet options for meeting new people. One of the first things I tried was Craigslist since there happens to be an Osaka-specific listing and I had some pretty good experiences with the New York edition over the summer. The Osaka page is a lot smaller since most people here don't speak English but I found one particular ad which seemed fun: a woman who was in town for the month and looking to hang out with an English-speaking person. Nothing like a date, mind you, this was the "platonic" section. Being an English speaker I volunteered and we sent each other a few e-mails back and forth. Earlier attempts to meet ended up conflicting with other plans but over the last few days we agreed to meet tonight and go to Kobe. Last night she even called me to discuss the plans: we would meet at Kyôbashi Station at five o'clock and then head to Kobe. This morning I sent her a picture of myself in order to facilitate said meeting, although I suppose that was a little redundant since I would almost certainly be the only white guy standing around the station.
Enough recap: I left school promptly at four to get to Hirakata City Station, opting not to bother checking my e-mail before I left (big mistake). I ended up getting to the station super-early which means I got to Kyôbashi super early as well. I used the extra time to cool off with a cafe au lait and wash my face in a restroom (by the evening, I am inevitably quite shiny). And then I waited in the predetermined area.
Five o'clock came, nothing. I thought maybe I had said five thirty.
Five thirty, nothing. I tried to walk around a bit to make sure I was clearly visible to anyone who could possibly be looking for me.
When it came to be six o'clock I knew something was up. I thought maybe she might have sent me an e-mail in the afternoon but given that she had my mobile phone number and mobile e-mail address, I couldn't believe she wouldn't use it to cancel. I tried to use my phone to access my email (yeah, it goes on the web) but viewing web pages on a phone is not an exact science; I couldn't figure out how to input any text in order to actually log in.
I wanted to give up and just get something to eat or drink but I also thought maybe I should just go home. Not sure how to proceed (and feeling very rejected) I called Scott for advice. He suggested I try finding an Internet cafe and reading my mail before completely writing off the meeting. I found the nearest dude handing out flyers and asked him where an Internet cafe was. I didn't really understand his directions but his restaurant's flyer had a map of the area so I tried to find my way. As I got close I got handed another flyer, this time for a multi-purpose business which included an Internet cafe. Hey, pretty lucky! I asked this guy how to get to his establishment and he tried to explain it me but I failed to understand. So he went ahead and led me straight to it (damn, this service rocks).
After verifying that they weren't going to rob me or rip me off (150 Yen for 30 minutes seemed more than fair), I logged in and checked my mail. Indeed, I had received a message at two o'clock:
I am terriblly sorry to tell you that I will have toCall me paranoid or a lunatic, but I don't buy it. If something really came up like this, why wouldn't she contact me directly, especially since it was only three hours before we were scheduled to meet? She knew I had a mobile phone and knew exactly how to reach me on it. I called Scott again to tell him what happened. He expressed his regret and said this kind of behavior was typical in Japan. He said they have a word for it, mokusatsu, which he defined as "ignore to death." Rather than confront someone about an unpleasant matter, he said a lot of people will just ignore it and let it go away on its own. While I'm not 100% I was being "ignored" (since I did receive some form of cancellation) I certainly felt like crap. The last thing I wanted was to turn back and just go home. Scott offered to change his plans so we could meet but I declined; no need to make him bend over backwards to ease my own (potentially exaggerated) sense of failure.
cancel the plan today.
I am getting an allegic reaction from
the lunch I had eaten a few hours ago...
I don't really want to go out with my
eyes all swollen up like this...
I am sorry I hope you got this message
before 5.
Looks like a fun area to kill a few hours, right?
I decided to go to the restaurant the first flyer guy had been advertising and have a beer. I struggled with the ordering process, eventually picking what I thought was yakitori-esque grilled meats. Instead, they were breaded and deep-fried which certainly was tasty but certainly not very healthy. I left and walked around the area some more, hoping to find some kind of bar or similar hangout. I failed to do so and just decided I should try going home and drinking in Hirakata instead. I ended up missing the right train by mere seconds and waited about ten minutes for the next one.
Back in Hirakata, I was totally sober and borderline despondent. What the hell was wrong with me? What about me made this person run for the hills rather than meet me for a casual get-together? Or worse, was this all in my head? I had no answers, just incredible feelings of inadequacy and frustration. I was unhappy, lonely, depressed, you name it. All I wanted was to feel good and I knew a beer or two would help me tremendously. I knew there was a Wara wara location (remember?) near the station so I figured I would pop in and down a few. I went inside and found myself unable to understand anything the waitress was telling me - contextually, I presumed she was telling me there would be a wait but I couldn't discern any of the words and I didn't know how to inquire about seating at a "bar" or something similar. I certainly didn't want to sit and wait for a table so I could sit by myself and drink beers, that would only worsen my mood. I was trying to force myself into a social situation but I just got fed up and left.
So here I am, back in the dorm again on Friday night, alone. I'm not giving up but I feel like absolute garbage. There's a lump in my throat and I'm not talking about mucus; it's a genuine feeling of despair that I'm refusing to acknowledge lest it consume me.
Does everyone have this happen to them? Am I trying so hard not to procrastinate on making friends that I'm actually setting myself up to feel bad everytime a plan falls through? Or am I just going to have to get used to this until someone looks past my misshapen appearance and chooses to spend time with me? Please, if you have any thoughts on this matter, don't hold back. If you think I'm nuts, say so. After this experience I need some completely honest feedback, even if it's not positive.
つづく... (Click here to read more)
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Well?
After all my big talk last night, I'll bet you're wondering what happened today. Did I do anything different at all, or will I plan on doing it later, maybe, if I ever get around to it? I think the answer is somewhere in between, but doing something is surely much better than doing nothing at all.
The day got off to a pretty good start. I'm still sick but I didn't quite wake up feeling as awful as did yesterday. When it came time to get dressed, I made the bold decision to wear jeans today. My thought process was this: I feel uncomfortable wearing shorts even though I am wearing them to feel more comfortable in hot weather. It doesn't make much sense to wear them, does it? I figured a few extra drops of sweat wouldn't matter too much if I felt better about myself. Imagine my surprise when I walked outside to find reasonable temperatures and even a gentle breeze! It seems chance favors the prepared mind!
Thursday is kind of a light day with just Japanese classes in the morning and no afternoon classes at all. Both classes went smoothly; I took a quiz which I'm sure I aced. When I went to lunch, I found my new resolve was put to the test right away when I scanned the cafeteria looking for seats. I knew it was important not to look for empty seats but to seats next to other people, whether they be casual acquaintances or perhaps even strangers. Thankfully I did spot someone from my Japanese class; she was sitting with two Japanese girls whom I did not know. A happy mix of familiar and unfamiliar! I invited myself to sit at their table. While I can't say I was as talkative as I could (should?) have been, I wasn't as quiet as I was yesterday. I even managed to exchange mobile phone info with the girl from my class.
My afternoon wasn't very productive. I came back to dorm, got caught up in a lot of e-mail and internet shenanigans and ended up making a brief novelty post this afternoon. I caught the end of the day's sumo action which continues to entertain me more than anybody else in this entire building, I think. Sumo led into the evening news, which I watched a portion of using the English-language audio. Nothing huge in the news today, although I did learn that the Japanese government is trying to locate some 150+ citizens who had registered their addresses in the area hit by Hurricane Katrina. So far, none of them have turned up dead but there are apparently quite a few who they couldn't find via door-to-door searching. I haven't heard much about the political effect of the storm on the President or anyone else for that matter, I guess that kind of story wouldn't interest many people over here. It's all the rage on our international version of CNN though.
I went out to find supper after that and I somehow found a place I had never seen before while walking through nearby Makino. I'm routinely surprised by the lack of regular business hours around here. I was walking down what seems to be a major commercial street at six thirty PM and 90% of the businesses were closed, although on a given day I'm never sure which ones will be open and which will be closed. It's frustrating, and not just because I spent my summer living in "the city that never sleeps." Don't forget, I grew up in a pretty small town and still, most small businesses were open well past seven, often as late or ten or eleven at night (especially if they served food).
The lights are on, but nobody's at work.
I came back to the dorm and saw some truly fascinating television. It was some kind of Otaku challenge where they had these five obsessive fans and the show put them through a variety of competitions to determine a "champion." I couldn't follow it perfectly but I got the gist of it. There were trivia questions with a physical aspect to them (in order to answer, they had to run up a semi-steep slope without shoes), visits to local hangouts in Akihabara and tours of their homes which were chock-full of disturbing collectibles like "cute" girly outfits which they occasionally wear in public. I think they should have brought out the UV light and checked for stains; now that's what people want to see! The "champion" was finally decided when the two finalists were given an opportunity to dress up an actual woman to their liking and see who could create the "cutest" fantasy girl.
Why was this so interesting to me? I think it's because I know the mindset of an obsessive fan. I've been there and come back. Indeed, I make conscious decisions on a daily basis not to let myself "geek out" over trivial entertainment. I am, in a way, irked that I have to hide part of myself because what's "cool" and what's not is entirely arbitrary. In theory, I should be allowed to carry on about anything I like without fear of being branded a "geek." Realistically, however, that's simply not the case. So I think recent decisions that I don't have to "be myself" aren't as radical as they might sound because, in truth, I'm never myself anyway.
つづく... (Click here to read more)
The day got off to a pretty good start. I'm still sick but I didn't quite wake up feeling as awful as did yesterday. When it came time to get dressed, I made the bold decision to wear jeans today. My thought process was this: I feel uncomfortable wearing shorts even though I am wearing them to feel more comfortable in hot weather. It doesn't make much sense to wear them, does it? I figured a few extra drops of sweat wouldn't matter too much if I felt better about myself. Imagine my surprise when I walked outside to find reasonable temperatures and even a gentle breeze! It seems chance favors the prepared mind!
Thursday is kind of a light day with just Japanese classes in the morning and no afternoon classes at all. Both classes went smoothly; I took a quiz which I'm sure I aced. When I went to lunch, I found my new resolve was put to the test right away when I scanned the cafeteria looking for seats. I knew it was important not to look for empty seats but to seats next to other people, whether they be casual acquaintances or perhaps even strangers. Thankfully I did spot someone from my Japanese class; she was sitting with two Japanese girls whom I did not know. A happy mix of familiar and unfamiliar! I invited myself to sit at their table. While I can't say I was as talkative as I could (should?) have been, I wasn't as quiet as I was yesterday. I even managed to exchange mobile phone info with the girl from my class.
My afternoon wasn't very productive. I came back to dorm, got caught up in a lot of e-mail and internet shenanigans and ended up making a brief novelty post this afternoon. I caught the end of the day's sumo action which continues to entertain me more than anybody else in this entire building, I think. Sumo led into the evening news, which I watched a portion of using the English-language audio. Nothing huge in the news today, although I did learn that the Japanese government is trying to locate some 150+ citizens who had registered their addresses in the area hit by Hurricane Katrina. So far, none of them have turned up dead but there are apparently quite a few who they couldn't find via door-to-door searching. I haven't heard much about the political effect of the storm on the President or anyone else for that matter, I guess that kind of story wouldn't interest many people over here. It's all the rage on our international version of CNN though.
I went out to find supper after that and I somehow found a place I had never seen before while walking through nearby Makino. I'm routinely surprised by the lack of regular business hours around here. I was walking down what seems to be a major commercial street at six thirty PM and 90% of the businesses were closed, although on a given day I'm never sure which ones will be open and which will be closed. It's frustrating, and not just because I spent my summer living in "the city that never sleeps." Don't forget, I grew up in a pretty small town and still, most small businesses were open well past seven, often as late or ten or eleven at night (especially if they served food).
The lights are on, but nobody's at work.
I came back to the dorm and saw some truly fascinating television. It was some kind of Otaku challenge where they had these five obsessive fans and the show put them through a variety of competitions to determine a "champion." I couldn't follow it perfectly but I got the gist of it. There were trivia questions with a physical aspect to them (in order to answer, they had to run up a semi-steep slope without shoes), visits to local hangouts in Akihabara and tours of their homes which were chock-full of disturbing collectibles like "cute" girly outfits which they occasionally wear in public. I think they should have brought out the UV light and checked for stains; now that's what people want to see! The "champion" was finally decided when the two finalists were given an opportunity to dress up an actual woman to their liking and see who could create the "cutest" fantasy girl.
Why was this so interesting to me? I think it's because I know the mindset of an obsessive fan. I've been there and come back. Indeed, I make conscious decisions on a daily basis not to let myself "geek out" over trivial entertainment. I am, in a way, irked that I have to hide part of myself because what's "cool" and what's not is entirely arbitrary. In theory, I should be allowed to carry on about anything I like without fear of being branded a "geek." Realistically, however, that's simply not the case. So I think recent decisions that I don't have to "be myself" aren't as radical as they might sound because, in truth, I'm never myself anyway.
つづく... (Click here to read more)
Organic HTML
I saw this over at Lavalady's blog and I wanted to link to it here. It's a great way to kill time and if you do any kind of programming at all, it's fascinating.
OrganicHTML is the name of the site. All you do is type in a URL, any URL, and a plant will spring forth from the little pod. The colors of the plant seem to come from the colors used on the site you pick so if you use my homepage, you'll see a lot of blue which looks odd.
What I'm curious about is which properties of the site affect the plant and which don't. For example, try inputting the address of my Sin City review and you'll get a very dramatic looking plant indeed. Yet that page is purely text with just a handful of links on it. In contrast, if you use Ben's artpage Troutmouth.com, you get very little foliage but there will be an insect buzzing around the plant.
If you have any ideas or find something that produces a particularly cool result, let me know.
つづく... (Click here to read more)
OrganicHTML is the name of the site. All you do is type in a URL, any URL, and a plant will spring forth from the little pod. The colors of the plant seem to come from the colors used on the site you pick so if you use my homepage, you'll see a lot of blue which looks odd.
What I'm curious about is which properties of the site affect the plant and which don't. For example, try inputting the address of my Sin City review and you'll get a very dramatic looking plant indeed. Yet that page is purely text with just a handful of links on it. In contrast, if you use Ben's artpage Troutmouth.com, you get very little foliage but there will be an insect buzzing around the plant.
If you have any ideas or find something that produces a particularly cool result, let me know.
つづく... (Click here to read more)
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
First Step
The inability to turn on my laptop hasn't really had an impact on any of my studies or my ability to communicate with you good people. There are plenty of computers here in the dorm and on campus to be used for all of those things. No, its impact has largely been on my leisure activities. I have more than eight gigabytes of music on that thing that I had collected, somewhat painstakingly, over the last six years. I used to burn lots of CDs of music but I eventually got tired of it because the CDs take up more physical space than the mp3 files did on my hard drive. Without my music collection to listen to, I've felt like there's been a entire chunk of my life missing lately. There's also the matter of some, *ahem* "adult" materials I brought along that now sit idle, unable to entertain anyone at all.
Remember Zoolander? When Derek and Hansel are told the files they need are "in the computer," they both scratch, claw, and grunt while rattling the computer around, completely ignorant of how to extract the information from within. That's exactly how I feel, sitting in my room, staring at that damned black "wafer" on my desk. As I already mentioned, I think my last (affordable) hope is to try buying a voltage adapter and see if that makes a difference. Of course, I'm not sure how to even ask for that in Japanese. I looked it up in a dictionary and all I've got is boruteeji adaputaa. Meh, maybe Kazu can throw me another bone.
Speaking of Kazu, we had lunch together today. He somehow only has one class a day and only on two or three days a week. No wonder he had problems in Albany; they don't ask much but they do expect you to take at least four classes at a time! However, that's the past; today we had lunch and I tried to help him out with his English school work. Nothing unethical mind you, just proofreading and alternate suggestions of words/phrases. His laptop works (of course) so we could accomplish this in the cafeteria. I also finally got to see some the photos he took in the spring from Fountain Day and our trip to Yankee Stadium.
Looking at those photos from the Spring was very enlightening. All summer I've been completely unable to notice any change in my body from eating better or working out. However, seeing five-month old photos of myself really opened my eyes. Gradual change over time may be hard to see but photography just shows cold truth: I looked terrible! Seeing myself like that actually made me feel kind of good about myself for once. I really have come a long way since then! Anyway, Kazu said he was going to e-mail the pictures to me but I'm not going to hold my breath; if I had done that in the first place I'd be dead by now.
There was something else quasi-enlightening that happened between Kazu and I this afternoon. He asked me if I was making friends and I said no. This may be an oversimplification as I am meeting new people on occasion but I'd hesitate to call them friends yet. He asked me why not and I told him it was because I don't speak (enough) Japanese. His reply? "So what?" He asserted that lots of these girls understand English, at least to some degree. He makes a good point. At lunch, we were sitting with a few (female) friends of his and I hardly said a word to them in any language. True, I'm sick right now and I sound like an undead Barry White when I open my mouth, but that's just temporary. The real reason I haven't been making friends is I haven't been trying hard enough.
So what am I gonna do about this? Probably procrastinate at first but a seed has been planted. I tend to blame my social failures on a lot of things so I feel better about not having enough friends/dates/whatever. I can't hide behind that kind of crap anymore. There are total assholes who go around treating people like shit yet they have lots of friends and some people even look up to them. They certainly have little trouble enjoying themselves at parties or talking to women.
We've all heard the expression "Nice guys finish last." I think the unsaid second half of that statement is probably "...because they sit around waiting for people to notice how nice they are." It's high time for me to stop crying about this(figuratively, I swear) and do something! No, I won't become an asshole (although I've considered it on many an occasion), I've just got to somehow put myself into "extrovert" mode. Maybe that's not exactly me "being myself" but at this point in my life "being myself" sucks dick.
Some of you might know that I am a huge fan of The Catcher in the Rye. I actually own two copies and I try to reread it every few years to keep it fresh in my mind (my last reading was summer 2004 when I had lots of time to kill at work). I think I tend to get preoccupied with the notion that I dare not become a "phony" like the ones that Holden Caufield sees all around him. For whatever reason, I think I consider most normal social activities as "phony" and that's occasionally held me back. Like if I'm walking somewhere and I see a cute girl sitting by herself, I want to go start a conversation with her but it strikes me as the way a "phony" might behave. I'm not trying to make excuses here, I'm just trying to explore my thought process for you. I think the sooner I abandon this flawed line of reasoning, the better. After all, for all his anger and frustration, things didn't work out so hot for Holden in the end if I recall correctly.
Before I ramble any further I'll tie a bow on this sucker and publish it. One last note, as I'm in a problem-solving mood. Tonight I started downloading some of my favorite tunes from a few of my "music" pages in the links section. Every student has a set amount of space to use on the network and it's rather generous so I've started putting some kick-ass tunes in there so I can use headphones and listen to some music while I type. And that makes me feel damn good.
If only my other problems were so easily solved. Coming up with a solution is only the first step.
つづく... (Click here to read more)
Remember Zoolander? When Derek and Hansel are told the files they need are "in the computer," they both scratch, claw, and grunt while rattling the computer around, completely ignorant of how to extract the information from within. That's exactly how I feel, sitting in my room, staring at that damned black "wafer" on my desk. As I already mentioned, I think my last (affordable) hope is to try buying a voltage adapter and see if that makes a difference. Of course, I'm not sure how to even ask for that in Japanese. I looked it up in a dictionary and all I've got is boruteeji adaputaa. Meh, maybe Kazu can throw me another bone.
Speaking of Kazu, we had lunch together today. He somehow only has one class a day and only on two or three days a week. No wonder he had problems in Albany; they don't ask much but they do expect you to take at least four classes at a time! However, that's the past; today we had lunch and I tried to help him out with his English school work. Nothing unethical mind you, just proofreading and alternate suggestions of words/phrases. His laptop works (of course) so we could accomplish this in the cafeteria. I also finally got to see some the photos he took in the spring from Fountain Day and our trip to Yankee Stadium.
Looking at those photos from the Spring was very enlightening. All summer I've been completely unable to notice any change in my body from eating better or working out. However, seeing five-month old photos of myself really opened my eyes. Gradual change over time may be hard to see but photography just shows cold truth: I looked terrible! Seeing myself like that actually made me feel kind of good about myself for once. I really have come a long way since then! Anyway, Kazu said he was going to e-mail the pictures to me but I'm not going to hold my breath; if I had done that in the first place I'd be dead by now.
There was something else quasi-enlightening that happened between Kazu and I this afternoon. He asked me if I was making friends and I said no. This may be an oversimplification as I am meeting new people on occasion but I'd hesitate to call them friends yet. He asked me why not and I told him it was because I don't speak (enough) Japanese. His reply? "So what?" He asserted that lots of these girls understand English, at least to some degree. He makes a good point. At lunch, we were sitting with a few (female) friends of his and I hardly said a word to them in any language. True, I'm sick right now and I sound like an undead Barry White when I open my mouth, but that's just temporary. The real reason I haven't been making friends is I haven't been trying hard enough.
So what am I gonna do about this? Probably procrastinate at first but a seed has been planted. I tend to blame my social failures on a lot of things so I feel better about not having enough friends/dates/whatever. I can't hide behind that kind of crap anymore. There are total assholes who go around treating people like shit yet they have lots of friends and some people even look up to them. They certainly have little trouble enjoying themselves at parties or talking to women.
We've all heard the expression "Nice guys finish last." I think the unsaid second half of that statement is probably "...because they sit around waiting for people to notice how nice they are." It's high time for me to stop crying about this(figuratively, I swear) and do something! No, I won't become an asshole (although I've considered it on many an occasion), I've just got to somehow put myself into "extrovert" mode. Maybe that's not exactly me "being myself" but at this point in my life "being myself" sucks dick.
Some of you might know that I am a huge fan of The Catcher in the Rye. I actually own two copies and I try to reread it every few years to keep it fresh in my mind (my last reading was summer 2004 when I had lots of time to kill at work). I think I tend to get preoccupied with the notion that I dare not become a "phony" like the ones that Holden Caufield sees all around him. For whatever reason, I think I consider most normal social activities as "phony" and that's occasionally held me back. Like if I'm walking somewhere and I see a cute girl sitting by herself, I want to go start a conversation with her but it strikes me as the way a "phony" might behave. I'm not trying to make excuses here, I'm just trying to explore my thought process for you. I think the sooner I abandon this flawed line of reasoning, the better. After all, for all his anger and frustration, things didn't work out so hot for Holden in the end if I recall correctly.
Before I ramble any further I'll tie a bow on this sucker and publish it. One last note, as I'm in a problem-solving mood. Tonight I started downloading some of my favorite tunes from a few of my "music" pages in the links section. Every student has a set amount of space to use on the network and it's rather generous so I've started putting some kick-ass tunes in there so I can use headphones and listen to some music while I type. And that makes me feel damn good.
If only my other problems were so easily solved. Coming up with a solution is only the first step.
つづく... (Click here to read more)
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Imperial Inspiration?
I know I just posted but when I went to read the New York Times' website a story lept of the page (well, screen) and hit me in the face:
"March of the Conservatives: Penguin Film as Political Fodder"
Apparently this documentary about the mating habits of Emperor Penguins is having a spiritual impact on a great many people. While I'll never condemn anyone from pursuing their own spirituality as they see fit, I must point out several logical errors with those who would use the film to support any political positions or to tell me how to live.
Firstly, several quotes suggest that the film is a ringing endorsement of monogamy. While it is true that these penguins only have one mate per season (which qualifies as monogamy), they do not necessarily pick the same mate every year. Unless these conservatives are really trying to tell us to pick new mates every year, they are commiting an equivocation fallacy by using two different definitions of monogamy. Either that, or they weren't paying attention during the movie.
Secondly, regarding the notion that the film makes a "strong case for intelligent design," I'm going to have to agree with George F. Will on this. If some intelligence "designed" this process, why make these poor birds work so hard? Seems kind of cruel (or unintelligent) to me.
I think the simplest and best sentiment is expressed by Laura Kim, a studio executive: "They're just birds." Given the relative disdain we show towards other animals here on Earth (hunting them, eating them, destroying their habitats for our own needs), can any human honestly point to an animal's behavior as a model for our own? If animals are so great, when are we going to show them some respect?
I don't know, I'm rambling here. I suppose it's futile, since "logic" rarely proves useful to American conservative groups. My point is this: I saw the movie, I recommend it. But if watching those penguins breed gives you ideas on how humans should live, I think you should watch fewer movies. Because I am not walking seventy miles in the Antarctic to get laid. Fifteen miles, tops!
つづく... (Click here to read more)
"March of the Conservatives: Penguin Film as Political Fodder"
Apparently this documentary about the mating habits of Emperor Penguins is having a spiritual impact on a great many people. While I'll never condemn anyone from pursuing their own spirituality as they see fit, I must point out several logical errors with those who would use the film to support any political positions or to tell me how to live.
Firstly, several quotes suggest that the film is a ringing endorsement of monogamy. While it is true that these penguins only have one mate per season (which qualifies as monogamy), they do not necessarily pick the same mate every year. Unless these conservatives are really trying to tell us to pick new mates every year, they are commiting an equivocation fallacy by using two different definitions of monogamy. Either that, or they weren't paying attention during the movie.
Secondly, regarding the notion that the film makes a "strong case for intelligent design," I'm going to have to agree with George F. Will on this. If some intelligence "designed" this process, why make these poor birds work so hard? Seems kind of cruel (or unintelligent) to me.
I think the simplest and best sentiment is expressed by Laura Kim, a studio executive: "They're just birds." Given the relative disdain we show towards other animals here on Earth (hunting them, eating them, destroying their habitats for our own needs), can any human honestly point to an animal's behavior as a model for our own? If animals are so great, when are we going to show them some respect?
I don't know, I'm rambling here. I suppose it's futile, since "logic" rarely proves useful to American conservative groups. My point is this: I saw the movie, I recommend it. But if watching those penguins breed gives you ideas on how humans should live, I think you should watch fewer movies. Because I am not walking seventy miles in the Antarctic to get laid. Fifteen miles, tops!
つづく... (Click here to read more)
テレビを見る？(Do you watch TV?)
Yup, I'm sick. I hope it's just a cold. I'm not quite sure what brought it on. It could be my tendency to abuse my air conditioner and keep my room around 20°Celcius (68°F), or maybe something happened when I got caught in the rain on Sunday. I choose to blame the stranger who had lunch with me last week. He had a cold or something and he obviously gave me his crazy Japanese germs.
来た！
Dad sent me a package last week and it arrived today. What's in the box?
Oatmeal! My baseball glove (with a baseball)! Vitamins! And several books that might come in handy. Thanks a lot Dad!
Going to classes when you are sick is a real ordeal. If you've ever heard me blow my nose, you know it's pretty loud and so I have to try and make sure not to do it when the teacher is talking. Plus, after one or two tissues are sitting on the desk I feel like I'm building a germ collection. Cough drops help (a lot) but nothing completely stems the tide of mucus. I feel more undesirable than ever before.
You may be wondering what kinds of things I've been watching on TV lately. Here's a rundown:
Sumo: The September tournament began this weekend and this is my chance to actually watch and enjoy the matches without silly editing or forced American voiceovers. The Yokozuna (highest ranking wrestler) is apparently always the last match of the day so I can always tune in around six o'clock to see 朝青龍 kick ass.
Movies: There are two movie channels which routinely show foreign films with Japanese subtitles. Of these, the most unusual was Taxi 2, a French-language film. Between my decade-old French lessons and the Japanese subtitles, I somehow worked out the gist of what was happening on screen. It helped that much of the plot involved driving really fast.
Drama: So far as I can tell, Japanese TV doesn't offer much in the way of sitcoms. Indeed, most of the time it's not even fictional programs at all but "variety" shows with a panel of (presumably) famous people talking about something or doing odd things or sometimes just watching strange videos and reacting on camera.
When it is a fictional program it's always a drama, although some dramas are sillier than others. Right now I can see one where a girl who always dresses in sixties' fashions has magical powers or something. There's also crime dramas, police dramas, love stories, and the occasional import like MacGyver or a Chinese spin-off of Shaolin Soccer.
News: The evening news is a common sight here. Some channels even offer English-language translation on the second audio channel. I think now that the election is over I will make more of an attempt to watch the news. Before, I got so sick and tired of the endless campaigning by people I couldn't even vote for (or against).
Music videos: If I ever want to completely turn my brain off, there are Japanese music videos. I can't say if they are truly any different than their American counterparts but I feel that watching them is a stupendous waste of my time. At least they are aired in their entirety here, unlike MTV back home. I take that as a good sign for the attention span of Japanese youth.
つづく... (Click here to read more)
来た！
Dad sent me a package last week and it arrived today. What's in the box?
Oatmeal! My baseball glove (with a baseball)! Vitamins! And several books that might come in handy. Thanks a lot Dad!
Going to classes when you are sick is a real ordeal. If you've ever heard me blow my nose, you know it's pretty loud and so I have to try and make sure not to do it when the teacher is talking. Plus, after one or two tissues are sitting on the desk I feel like I'm building a germ collection. Cough drops help (a lot) but nothing completely stems the tide of mucus. I feel more undesirable than ever before.
You may be wondering what kinds of things I've been watching on TV lately. Here's a rundown:
Sumo: The September tournament began this weekend and this is my chance to actually watch and enjoy the matches without silly editing or forced American voiceovers. The Yokozuna (highest ranking wrestler) is apparently always the last match of the day so I can always tune in around six o'clock to see 朝青龍 kick ass.
Movies: There are two movie channels which routinely show foreign films with Japanese subtitles. Of these, the most unusual was Taxi 2, a French-language film. Between my decade-old French lessons and the Japanese subtitles, I somehow worked out the gist of what was happening on screen. It helped that much of the plot involved driving really fast.
Drama: So far as I can tell, Japanese TV doesn't offer much in the way of sitcoms. Indeed, most of the time it's not even fictional programs at all but "variety" shows with a panel of (presumably) famous people talking about something or doing odd things or sometimes just watching strange videos and reacting on camera.
When it is a fictional program it's always a drama, although some dramas are sillier than others. Right now I can see one where a girl who always dresses in sixties' fashions has magical powers or something. There's also crime dramas, police dramas, love stories, and the occasional import like MacGyver or a Chinese spin-off of Shaolin Soccer.
News: The evening news is a common sight here. Some channels even offer English-language translation on the second audio channel. I think now that the election is over I will make more of an attempt to watch the news. Before, I got so sick and tired of the endless campaigning by people I couldn't even vote for (or against).
Music videos: If I ever want to completely turn my brain off, there are Japanese music videos. I can't say if they are truly any different than their American counterparts but I feel that watching them is a stupendous waste of my time. At least they are aired in their entirety here, unlike MTV back home. I take that as a good sign for the attention span of Japanese youth.
つづく... (Click here to read more)
Monday, September 12, 2005
I, Robot
For the record, I've finished uploading all the photo pages mentioned in yesterday's long post. So if you didn't see those pictures yet, please check them out. Thank god I didn't take any pictures today or else I might have really fallen behind!
Monday mornings are rough because my first class is at nine in the morning. It double-sucked today because I'm clearly coming down with something, probably a cold. Lots of sniffles and a drip with plenty of coughing. Luckily, I brought along a decent number of cough drops in my backpack which help sooth all of my symptoms, at least temporarily.
Today I had my first official session in the Language Lab. In there, you use headphones to listen to recordings that follow your lesson plan in class. You also have a microphone so you can record your voice and send it to the teacher who evaluates your progress. The pain in the ass part of it is you're expected to turn in your best recording, so mistakes are frowned upon. While that makes sense, it can get frustrating if you're recording a two or three minute lesson and you stumble on the last question, forcing you to do the whole thing over again. I suppose it's all good practice but it can drive you a little crazy. I need to get a picture of myself wearing the headphones, they look pretty silly.
After lunch it was time for the News class. Naturally, the main topic of the day was yesterday's election. It was a big victory for the LDP so we took a look at the "big five" newspapers in Japan which all featured a very happy Koizumi on the front page. Three of the five also showed a very sad Okada who is probably going to resign over his party's losses.
We also talked a lot about the kisha clubs which is a rather fascinating element in Japanese society. Every major government agency as well as most major Japanese corporations have a circle of reporters assigned to work in their offices. These reporters form "clubs" with membership dues, group activities and other general camaraderie-building activities. The club is the only contact the media has with that particular company or agency and they all share their information (in theory), so no one "scoops" anyone or really does much work at all. Indeed, the relationship between the club and its sponsor is very cozy which many have called into question. How can the media effectively and objectively cover anyone with whom they work so closely?
Alright, let's get back to my own dilemmas. After class I went to the computer room to check my e-mail and such. When I sat down the girl using the computer next to me was sniffling. I offered her a tissue and she said "no thanks." After a minute or two it became clear that she was weeping. I didn't want to pry but I could tell she was writing something in Microsoft Word, probably a letter to someone back home. It obviously upset her very much and she was openly crying on and off while I sat next to her. I felt like a tool. I wanted to say something, but what? Does she really want my advice or help or anything? And the longer I sat there, the more awkward I felt. Finally, when I was done, I couldn't take it anymore. I asked very politely if "everything was alright" while apologizing for being nosy. She insisted she was fine, said thank you, and I left.
I routinely find myself in situations like this where someone nearby is obviously overcome with an emotion and I have no idea how to react. It pains me to see other people cry (most of the time) but did I do the right thing? Why don't I know how to behave in these situations? I honestly feel like a robot when it comes to emotional issues, be they personal or from others around me. I've been given the capacity to feel things but I never know what to do when faced with human feelings. It's like I'm goddamn Data.*
* Note to Star Trek purists: Yes, I am aware that Data was an android and not a robot. Are you also aware that he was, in reality, just a guy wearing a lot of makeup?
つづく... (Click here to read more)
Monday mornings are rough because my first class is at nine in the morning. It double-sucked today because I'm clearly coming down with something, probably a cold. Lots of sniffles and a drip with plenty of coughing. Luckily, I brought along a decent number of cough drops in my backpack which help sooth all of my symptoms, at least temporarily.
Today I had my first official session in the Language Lab. In there, you use headphones to listen to recordings that follow your lesson plan in class. You also have a microphone so you can record your voice and send it to the teacher who evaluates your progress. The pain in the ass part of it is you're expected to turn in your best recording, so mistakes are frowned upon. While that makes sense, it can get frustrating if you're recording a two or three minute lesson and you stumble on the last question, forcing you to do the whole thing over again. I suppose it's all good practice but it can drive you a little crazy. I need to get a picture of myself wearing the headphones, they look pretty silly.
After lunch it was time for the News class. Naturally, the main topic of the day was yesterday's election. It was a big victory for the LDP so we took a look at the "big five" newspapers in Japan which all featured a very happy Koizumi on the front page. Three of the five also showed a very sad Okada who is probably going to resign over his party's losses.
We also talked a lot about the kisha clubs which is a rather fascinating element in Japanese society. Every major government agency as well as most major Japanese corporations have a circle of reporters assigned to work in their offices. These reporters form "clubs" with membership dues, group activities and other general camaraderie-building activities. The club is the only contact the media has with that particular company or agency and they all share their information (in theory), so no one "scoops" anyone or really does much work at all. Indeed, the relationship between the club and its sponsor is very cozy which many have called into question. How can the media effectively and objectively cover anyone with whom they work so closely?
Alright, let's get back to my own dilemmas. After class I went to the computer room to check my e-mail and such. When I sat down the girl using the computer next to me was sniffling. I offered her a tissue and she said "no thanks." After a minute or two it became clear that she was weeping. I didn't want to pry but I could tell she was writing something in Microsoft Word, probably a letter to someone back home. It obviously upset her very much and she was openly crying on and off while I sat next to her. I felt like a tool. I wanted to say something, but what? Does she really want my advice or help or anything? And the longer I sat there, the more awkward I felt. Finally, when I was done, I couldn't take it anymore. I asked very politely if "everything was alright" while apologizing for being nosy. She insisted she was fine, said thank you, and I left.
I routinely find myself in situations like this where someone nearby is obviously overcome with an emotion and I have no idea how to react. It pains me to see other people cry (most of the time) but did I do the right thing? Why don't I know how to behave in these situations? I honestly feel like a robot when it comes to emotional issues, be they personal or from others around me. I've been given the capacity to feel things but I never know what to do when faced with human feelings. It's like I'm goddamn Data.*
* Note to Star Trek purists: Yes, I am aware that Data was an android and not a robot. Are you also aware that he was, in reality, just a guy wearing a lot of makeup?
つづく... (Click here to read more)
Sunday, September 11, 2005
Backlog
I'm starting to see a pattern emerge: every weekend I take so many pictures that I fall behind on my blogging trying to keep up with them all. It's not the blogging that's the burden, it's my damned enthusiasm to take pictures and give a more complete picture of my experiences. Clearly, I'm the problem!
Saturday: Indoor Edutainment
After doing absolutely nothing on Friday night I was determined to get out do something (anything) on Saturday. I ruled out any castle or temple trips because I didn't want to put up with the inevitable hours of walking around in the heat and humidity. At some point during the morning, whilst reviewing my various travel guides and brochures, a plan of indoor, air-conditioned fun in Osaka became apparent to me.
I got over to the Hirakata City Station as soon as possible. I e-mailed my ideas (via my new phone) to Scott to see if he was down. He had other plans but suggested we meet in the evening. That was fine by me. I got on the first express train I could and went straight to Yodoyabashi. During the ride I was pleasantly surprised by a television on board which allowed me to see nearly the entire seventh inning of the Yankees/Red Sox game.
The picture was pretty fuzzy but I'll take it!
The end of the inning coincided very well with my arrival in Yodoyabashi. The station is named for an old bridge (pictured below). Osaka is a city with many bridges because of the many rivers flowing in and around the city. I crossed the Yodoyabashi bridge to reach Nakanoshima (literally "center island") where I took a very nice walk along the Tosabori River. This is a very scenic area in Osaka and the paved walkway was decorated with a number of sculptures. There were also quite a few homeless people sleeping/living there. That might surprise some of you to hear that Japan has homeless, but it's the truth. I'm not sure how that rumor got started but the sooner you dismiss it, the better. Anyway, you can look at an assortment of pictures from that area here.
Yodoyabashi Bridge.
From the bridge, looking to the north.
Ten or fifteen minutes of walking down the river (taking my time all the way) I came to my first stop, a pair of museums. The first one I noticed was the Osaka Science Museum although I was actually looking for the National Museum of Art. I could see signs for it, but no building in the area other than the science museum and some crazy looking framework for who knows what purpose.
Osaka Science Museum.
What the hell is this next to it?
I was about to break down and ask for help when I took another look around, realizing the framework was actually the entrance to the art museum! The exhibit space was actually entirely underground. It just opened last year so I guess they went with an unusual design for the entrance to grab people's attention.
The museum was very nice and a bargain to boot: students get in for half off! I was a little dismayed at how empty it was. I know that's ridiculous considering how much I complained about the crowds in the MoMA this summer but I guess I like to know art is being seen on a regular basis, else it might go away or retreat to elite circles away from my vantage point.
Speaking of modern art, this museum was clearly focused on the here and now of the art world. Most of the exhibits were very contemporary (2001 or newer) and much of it was, what's the word I'm looking for...weird? One exhibit required me to wear a set of headphones and then walk a predetermined path on the floor while listening to a recording of someone else walking down the street in Bulgaria or something. Another exhibit was "practical exercise machines" that simulate carrying a wheelbarrow while walking on a treadmill or using a mouse with heavy weights attached to it. These machines were not just for observation; I actually used every one of them (with some help from the staff).
Speaking of the staff, they were all Japanese women. That may sound obvious at first but think about the last time you went to a museum in New York. The staff in the exhibit spaces are usually male and they often look ready to beat your ass if you try anything.
It wasn't all cutting edge though, there were plenty of more "conventional" works like sculpture and paintings. I even saw one piece by Kandinsky although it was very different than the works I had seen in the MoMA this summer. Not nearly as creepy or ominous; I don't know the proper terminology, but it was very angular, like something you might expect from Picasso...is that cubism?
I took my time in the museum but it wasn't very big so after about two hours I actually saw everything there was to see. I opted not to go into the Science Museum because I felt the language barrier would ruin the experience. Understanding may not be a requisite for art (although nearly everything in the museum was bi-lingual) but science is another story. I grabbed a cheap lunch across the street and began walking west towards the bay area. On my map, there was a clear path down one particular street to reach the bay. After about twenty minutes of walking I began to wonder how much further it would be. My map wasn't too helpful with details like that so I stopped in a convenience store and asked for some help. Fortunately, I had learned some of the words I needed to know to ask this question just this week! They told me it would take about forty minutes on foot so I decided it was time to cave in and take a bus. In all honesty it wasn't that hot on Saturday and I could feel a breeze blowing in from the bay, but that was just too far. I didn't want to spend all day getting there.
This bus stop actually tells you how far away the bus is. Why can't we have this awesome shit in New York?
Waiting for bus led to another wonderful moment in Japanese service. I had my map open and I was staring at it intensely so it was no secret that I was a tourist. A man actually came out of his shop to greet me at the bus stop and offered me help finding my destination. He didn't speak English but he spoke slowly and clearly enough to confirm my choice of bus. Very nice guy.
Once on the bus I found myself in a new predicament. I should explain: in Japan, you pay when you get off of the bus rather than paying up front. You also board in the rear rather than the front but that's not important to this story. What is important is I was five Yen short of the 200 Yen fare. Sure, I had plenty more money in big bills, but Japanese busses only accept coins. There is a bill changer on board but that only accepts small bills. How was I going to solve this problem? In New York (or anywhere in America for that matter), I'd just say out loud "Anybody got a nickel?" So I straight up asked some strangers for five Yen, explaining my shortage. They agreed, I thanked them profusely and the situation was resolved.
The bus took me directly to where I wanted to be: the Tenpozan Harbor Village featuring the Osaka Aquarium and a giant Ferris wheel.
Yeah, that's a big one.
Also big.
That's, well, not so big.
The aquarium was surprisingly expensive (2000 Yen) but considering how cheap it had been to get into the art museum I think the total cost was about right. It was a very large aquarium with one particularly large tank in the middle, but the thing is you end up circling that tank many times during your visit. So the price still feels very high to me. I took plenty of pictures which you can see here.
After having my fill of sea creatures (metaphorically speaking) I decided it was "high" time to check out the giant Ferris wheel. It was also surprisingly expensive (700 Yen) but I rationalized it thusly: If I happily spent five bucks riding The Cyclone for less than two minutes, I should be willing to spend a little more to ride this thing for almost fifteen minutes. I took a lot of pictures on this ride and you can see them here.
As it was starting to get around dinner time I called Scott to arrange our meeting. He had been busy cleaning his apartment and his girlfriend Emi was coming over so he wasn't going out but he invited me to join him at his apartment. It was actually his birthday so we're going to have to come up with a proper celebration to commemorate the occasion later. I made my way over there and he met me at the station. I was sure to snap a picture of him with my new phone; now whenever he calls, I see his picture on the display. It's so much fun!
We had a bunch of snacks and some beer while hanging out in his place. I drank a liter (approximately 33 oz. back home) of Yebisu Beer which tastes great but simply doesn't have enough of a kick to brighten my spirits. The snacks were great; I bought some peanuts which were less salted than their American counterparts and Scott had...well, I don't remember what they were called and I don't know how to explain the taste, but they were mysteriously delicious. Emi showed up and spent a long time preparing a sizeable meal for all three of us. While she cooked, Scott and I were talking about the difficulties of making a good sequel and we played a little SVC Chaos. Emi jokingly called us otaku but I'm sure she meant that in a nice way.
Dinner was a wonderful combination of fried chicken, salad, and "mapo" eggplant. It's like Mapo tofu only without the tofu. It's turning out to be a popular flavor here in Japan and I'm so happy I first discovered it this summer in New York so I knew to look for it here. After dinner I had to hurry to the train station as I wasn't sure when the last train was leaving. I actually made it in plenty of time although I did miss the last bus to my neighborhood back in Hirakata. I ended up taking a different bus which passed close to my neighborhood and walked the rest instead.
Sunday: Outdoor Chance-Taking
I slept in today, not sure what to do with myself. I didn't want to take any long, expensive train trips but I certainly didn't want to sit around all day either. I came up with a plan to walk to an unfamiliar area that I knew to be relatively close: Makino Station. While I didn't have a map I did ask the caretaker and he told me it was easy to find. All I had to was walk to the nearby Hotani River (which I often cross looking for dinner) and follow it into the station. Thankfully it was overcast so the temperature was bearable although humidity was still a problem. Still, it was an easy walk.
This sign near the Hotani River warns of "danger." What's up with the frogman attacking the little girl though?
Archery competition at a nearby dental school. I'm not kidding.
Makino Station, straight ahead.
Once at Makino Station I then had to actually pick somewhere to go. I was kind of curious to check out the Kuzuha Mall I had heard so much about. It was only one station away so it was pretty cheap. I decided to check it out. Maybe I might even buy something if the price as right.
I'll never understand the proliferation of English in Japan.
Children at play in this curious fountain.
The mall was, well, a mall. It was carpeted, which was nice, but there wasn't anything super distinctive about it. I was happy that it wasn't full of the exact same stores than American malls were, but the goods offered inside were pretty much the same (save for a traditional kimono store). I did check a few prices on shoes as my "future shoes" are actually in rapid decline. I guess I should have worn them less often this summer as I was counting on their easy on/off access here in Japan.
One thing that did come up was a trip to the toilet. Given the mall's overall "newness" and Western style, I was shocked to find a Japanese-style squat toilet in the bathroom. I didn't take a picture because it wasn't, um, "clean." I later learned that the restrooms in the mall have both the squat-style and the high-end Western style toilets. I have to wonder why though; once you've experienced the automated bidet, what possible reason would you have to go back to squatting like an animal?
Here's a fascinating contraption I saw in the stall. It's for parents to put their children into while they're using the toilet. I have a few thoughts. Firstly, there's the name. In Japanese, it's "Baby Keep" but the English translation is "Baby Rest." Was someone worried about the connotation of "baby keep" in English? Secondly, you can't see this but the instructions are written in Braille. Why? Are there really lone blind people carrying children around with them into restrooms?
Other than the mall, I didn't explore Kuzuha that much. I started to walk in one direction but I got caught in sudden shower. I ended up retreating to the station where I decided I should just go back to Makino and start walking home.
Kuzuha station offers a lovely view of these mountains.
Back in Makino, I didn't walk straight home. I decided to walk along the streets that paralleled the river so I would see some new things and eventually pick a spot to eat dinner. It didn't take very long to see this nice little shrine, tucked into a busy intersection.
I ended up walking for quite a while. I saw my share of restaurants but I didn't like them for one reason or another. Maybe there was no menu or samples outside, maybe the prices looked too high, maybe it was a cuisine I had eaten a lot of recently. I ended up picking a tiny place that offered a fairly-priced yakiniku meal. The inside was a real trip; I felt like I was in someone's basement. I was the only customer (not that there more than eight seats in the room) and I was given a knife and fork instead of chopsticks. This was the first time I used those utensils since my plane flight and it felt very strange. I suspect it was their way of being courteous so I didn't try to challenge them on it.
The food was pretty tasty but the atmosphere was really strange. I had a makeshift conversation with the old women who were running the place. You should know that older Japanese people are a lot harder to understand than young Japanese people, although I guess that's universal. Anyway, when I mentioned I was from New York, I immediately received a gift: the May issue of Sôka Gakkai magazine! What are the odds I would receive this amusing piece of information on SGI? Why did the mention of New York prompt this gift? Could this meal get any stranger?
After dinner I walked home using yet another direction than before. So I got my share of exercise this weekend and I feel pretty good about that. I am wondering when I'm going to manage to meet some new people and hang out with them though. Everything I did this weekend would have been more fun if I had shared the experience with someone (anyone) else.
つづく... (Click here to read more)
Saturday: Indoor Edutainment
After doing absolutely nothing on Friday night I was determined to get out do something (anything) on Saturday. I ruled out any castle or temple trips because I didn't want to put up with the inevitable hours of walking around in the heat and humidity. At some point during the morning, whilst reviewing my various travel guides and brochures, a plan of indoor, air-conditioned fun in Osaka became apparent to me.
I got over to the Hirakata City Station as soon as possible. I e-mailed my ideas (via my new phone) to Scott to see if he was down. He had other plans but suggested we meet in the evening. That was fine by me. I got on the first express train I could and went straight to Yodoyabashi. During the ride I was pleasantly surprised by a television on board which allowed me to see nearly the entire seventh inning of the Yankees/Red Sox game.
The picture was pretty fuzzy but I'll take it!
The end of the inning coincided very well with my arrival in Yodoyabashi. The station is named for an old bridge (pictured below). Osaka is a city with many bridges because of the many rivers flowing in and around the city. I crossed the Yodoyabashi bridge to reach Nakanoshima (literally "center island") where I took a very nice walk along the Tosabori River. This is a very scenic area in Osaka and the paved walkway was decorated with a number of sculptures. There were also quite a few homeless people sleeping/living there. That might surprise some of you to hear that Japan has homeless, but it's the truth. I'm not sure how that rumor got started but the sooner you dismiss it, the better. Anyway, you can look at an assortment of pictures from that area here.
Yodoyabashi Bridge.
From the bridge, looking to the north.
Ten or fifteen minutes of walking down the river (taking my time all the way) I came to my first stop, a pair of museums. The first one I noticed was the Osaka Science Museum although I was actually looking for the National Museum of Art. I could see signs for it, but no building in the area other than the science museum and some crazy looking framework for who knows what purpose.
Osaka Science Museum.
What the hell is this next to it?
I was about to break down and ask for help when I took another look around, realizing the framework was actually the entrance to the art museum! The exhibit space was actually entirely underground. It just opened last year so I guess they went with an unusual design for the entrance to grab people's attention.
The museum was very nice and a bargain to boot: students get in for half off! I was a little dismayed at how empty it was. I know that's ridiculous considering how much I complained about the crowds in the MoMA this summer but I guess I like to know art is being seen on a regular basis, else it might go away or retreat to elite circles away from my vantage point.
Speaking of modern art, this museum was clearly focused on the here and now of the art world. Most of the exhibits were very contemporary (2001 or newer) and much of it was, what's the word I'm looking for...weird? One exhibit required me to wear a set of headphones and then walk a predetermined path on the floor while listening to a recording of someone else walking down the street in Bulgaria or something. Another exhibit was "practical exercise machines" that simulate carrying a wheelbarrow while walking on a treadmill or using a mouse with heavy weights attached to it. These machines were not just for observation; I actually used every one of them (with some help from the staff).
Speaking of the staff, they were all Japanese women. That may sound obvious at first but think about the last time you went to a museum in New York. The staff in the exhibit spaces are usually male and they often look ready to beat your ass if you try anything.
It wasn't all cutting edge though, there were plenty of more "conventional" works like sculpture and paintings. I even saw one piece by Kandinsky although it was very different than the works I had seen in the MoMA this summer. Not nearly as creepy or ominous; I don't know the proper terminology, but it was very angular, like something you might expect from Picasso...is that cubism?
I took my time in the museum but it wasn't very big so after about two hours I actually saw everything there was to see. I opted not to go into the Science Museum because I felt the language barrier would ruin the experience. Understanding may not be a requisite for art (although nearly everything in the museum was bi-lingual) but science is another story. I grabbed a cheap lunch across the street and began walking west towards the bay area. On my map, there was a clear path down one particular street to reach the bay. After about twenty minutes of walking I began to wonder how much further it would be. My map wasn't too helpful with details like that so I stopped in a convenience store and asked for some help. Fortunately, I had learned some of the words I needed to know to ask this question just this week! They told me it would take about forty minutes on foot so I decided it was time to cave in and take a bus. In all honesty it wasn't that hot on Saturday and I could feel a breeze blowing in from the bay, but that was just too far. I didn't want to spend all day getting there.
This bus stop actually tells you how far away the bus is. Why can't we have this awesome shit in New York?
Waiting for bus led to another wonderful moment in Japanese service. I had my map open and I was staring at it intensely so it was no secret that I was a tourist. A man actually came out of his shop to greet me at the bus stop and offered me help finding my destination. He didn't speak English but he spoke slowly and clearly enough to confirm my choice of bus. Very nice guy.
Once on the bus I found myself in a new predicament. I should explain: in Japan, you pay when you get off of the bus rather than paying up front. You also board in the rear rather than the front but that's not important to this story. What is important is I was five Yen short of the 200 Yen fare. Sure, I had plenty more money in big bills, but Japanese busses only accept coins. There is a bill changer on board but that only accepts small bills. How was I going to solve this problem? In New York (or anywhere in America for that matter), I'd just say out loud "Anybody got a nickel?" So I straight up asked some strangers for five Yen, explaining my shortage. They agreed, I thanked them profusely and the situation was resolved.
The bus took me directly to where I wanted to be: the Tenpozan Harbor Village featuring the Osaka Aquarium and a giant Ferris wheel.
Yeah, that's a big one.
Also big.
That's, well, not so big.
The aquarium was surprisingly expensive (2000 Yen) but considering how cheap it had been to get into the art museum I think the total cost was about right. It was a very large aquarium with one particularly large tank in the middle, but the thing is you end up circling that tank many times during your visit. So the price still feels very high to me. I took plenty of pictures which you can see here.
After having my fill of sea creatures (metaphorically speaking) I decided it was "high" time to check out the giant Ferris wheel. It was also surprisingly expensive (700 Yen) but I rationalized it thusly: If I happily spent five bucks riding The Cyclone for less than two minutes, I should be willing to spend a little more to ride this thing for almost fifteen minutes. I took a lot of pictures on this ride and you can see them here.
As it was starting to get around dinner time I called Scott to arrange our meeting. He had been busy cleaning his apartment and his girlfriend Emi was coming over so he wasn't going out but he invited me to join him at his apartment. It was actually his birthday so we're going to have to come up with a proper celebration to commemorate the occasion later. I made my way over there and he met me at the station. I was sure to snap a picture of him with my new phone; now whenever he calls, I see his picture on the display. It's so much fun!
We had a bunch of snacks and some beer while hanging out in his place. I drank a liter (approximately 33 oz. back home) of Yebisu Beer which tastes great but simply doesn't have enough of a kick to brighten my spirits. The snacks were great; I bought some peanuts which were less salted than their American counterparts and Scott had...well, I don't remember what they were called and I don't know how to explain the taste, but they were mysteriously delicious. Emi showed up and spent a long time preparing a sizeable meal for all three of us. While she cooked, Scott and I were talking about the difficulties of making a good sequel and we played a little SVC Chaos. Emi jokingly called us otaku but I'm sure she meant that in a nice way.
Dinner was a wonderful combination of fried chicken, salad, and "mapo" eggplant. It's like Mapo tofu only without the tofu. It's turning out to be a popular flavor here in Japan and I'm so happy I first discovered it this summer in New York so I knew to look for it here. After dinner I had to hurry to the train station as I wasn't sure when the last train was leaving. I actually made it in plenty of time although I did miss the last bus to my neighborhood back in Hirakata. I ended up taking a different bus which passed close to my neighborhood and walked the rest instead.
Sunday: Outdoor Chance-Taking
I slept in today, not sure what to do with myself. I didn't want to take any long, expensive train trips but I certainly didn't want to sit around all day either. I came up with a plan to walk to an unfamiliar area that I knew to be relatively close: Makino Station. While I didn't have a map I did ask the caretaker and he told me it was easy to find. All I had to was walk to the nearby Hotani River (which I often cross looking for dinner) and follow it into the station. Thankfully it was overcast so the temperature was bearable although humidity was still a problem. Still, it was an easy walk.
This sign near the Hotani River warns of "danger." What's up with the frogman attacking the little girl though?
Archery competition at a nearby dental school. I'm not kidding.
Makino Station, straight ahead.
Once at Makino Station I then had to actually pick somewhere to go. I was kind of curious to check out the Kuzuha Mall I had heard so much about. It was only one station away so it was pretty cheap. I decided to check it out. Maybe I might even buy something if the price as right.
I'll never understand the proliferation of English in Japan.
Children at play in this curious fountain.
The mall was, well, a mall. It was carpeted, which was nice, but there wasn't anything super distinctive about it. I was happy that it wasn't full of the exact same stores than American malls were, but the goods offered inside were pretty much the same (save for a traditional kimono store). I did check a few prices on shoes as my "future shoes" are actually in rapid decline. I guess I should have worn them less often this summer as I was counting on their easy on/off access here in Japan.
One thing that did come up was a trip to the toilet. Given the mall's overall "newness" and Western style, I was shocked to find a Japanese-style squat toilet in the bathroom. I didn't take a picture because it wasn't, um, "clean." I later learned that the restrooms in the mall have both the squat-style and the high-end Western style toilets. I have to wonder why though; once you've experienced the automated bidet, what possible reason would you have to go back to squatting like an animal?
Here's a fascinating contraption I saw in the stall. It's for parents to put their children into while they're using the toilet. I have a few thoughts. Firstly, there's the name. In Japanese, it's "Baby Keep" but the English translation is "Baby Rest." Was someone worried about the connotation of "baby keep" in English? Secondly, you can't see this but the instructions are written in Braille. Why? Are there really lone blind people carrying children around with them into restrooms?
Other than the mall, I didn't explore Kuzuha that much. I started to walk in one direction but I got caught in sudden shower. I ended up retreating to the station where I decided I should just go back to Makino and start walking home.
Kuzuha station offers a lovely view of these mountains.
Back in Makino, I didn't walk straight home. I decided to walk along the streets that paralleled the river so I would see some new things and eventually pick a spot to eat dinner. It didn't take very long to see this nice little shrine, tucked into a busy intersection.
I ended up walking for quite a while. I saw my share of restaurants but I didn't like them for one reason or another. Maybe there was no menu or samples outside, maybe the prices looked too high, maybe it was a cuisine I had eaten a lot of recently. I ended up picking a tiny place that offered a fairly-priced yakiniku meal. The inside was a real trip; I felt like I was in someone's basement. I was the only customer (not that there more than eight seats in the room) and I was given a knife and fork instead of chopsticks. This was the first time I used those utensils since my plane flight and it felt very strange. I suspect it was their way of being courteous so I didn't try to challenge them on it.
The food was pretty tasty but the atmosphere was really strange. I had a makeshift conversation with the old women who were running the place. You should know that older Japanese people are a lot harder to understand than young Japanese people, although I guess that's universal. Anyway, when I mentioned I was from New York, I immediately received a gift: the May issue of Sôka Gakkai magazine! What are the odds I would receive this amusing piece of information on SGI? Why did the mention of New York prompt this gift? Could this meal get any stranger?
After dinner I walked home using yet another direction than before. So I got my share of exercise this weekend and I feel pretty good about that. I am wondering when I'm going to manage to meet some new people and hang out with them though. Everything I did this weekend would have been more fun if I had shared the experience with someone (anyone) else.
つづく... (Click here to read more)
unpaid advertising...I'm no sell out!
