Friday, October 28, 2005
Still Exhausted!
Didn't post last night because I went out with Scott. Had a very busy day today so let's get caught up. More pictures and some stuff you probably won't understand coming at you today!
Translation: "The birth of XI. A new history of KOF begins."
Thursday: I only had two classes and I spent a decent portion of my afternoon down at the 50 Yen arcade. What was the occasion? Yesterday was the release date for the newest chapter in the King of Fighters series and I was eager to see what they had come up with. My first impressions are pretty good, although the general din of the arcade didn't allow me to really take in much of the sound effects or music. The lineup is a bit odd, with a few returning characters I don't think anyone missed and some new ones who aren't going to win me over. There's definitely one cool-looking mo'fo' called Oswald and a sub-boss armed with a variety of weapons named Shion. The last boss is some brightly colored freak named Magaki that (as usual) seems completely unbeatable thanks to huge projectiles that bounce around the screen.
I would have liked to actually play the game instead of just watch it but there's a problem in Japanese arcades: they're full of sharks! Not literally, of course, but that's an appropriate analogy to describe these head-hunting players. Somehow, despite the fact that this chapter came out on Wednesday, they already know and have near-expert control of three or four different characters (including some brand new ones) and they love to beat the crap out of novices. The problem is not unique to Japan, you can see it in any Chinatown arcade as well. I'm tempted to say it's an "Asian" thing but that can't be right. Just because every shark I have ever seen has been Asian does not make it a unique ability of Asians.
Anyway, since everyone was all about the new game I thought I might try to enjoy myself on the relatively old NeoGeo Battle Coliseum but as soon as I sat down to play (yeah, Japanese arcades have seats, not to mention ashtrays) the sharks smelled my blood and dispatched me with great haste. You can always tell when a shark approaches because newer games have these special cards you can buy that record your progress, allow you to display a nickname on screen and pick from extra color palettes. If someone joins your game and breaks out one of these cards, you're in trouble.
In the evening I went into Osaka and hung out with Scott. We ate dinner at Yoshinoya and had a few drinks around the Umeda area. After getting a buzz on we went to a 50 Yen arcade and played a few games. Scott tried his hand at KOFXI and did his best amongst the sharks. I think he did win a round or two eventually. I tried NGBC again and managed to actually avoid human players entirely (although I still lost).
Friday: Today was less about classes and more about a field trip to a local elementary school. I was really psyched about this, not because I was eager to get out of school work but because I knew we were getting a rare opportunity. It's important to understand something about Japan: if you're a foreigner, you're special. Sometimes "special" can be bad, like when the cops assume you're up to no good, but when it comes to children "special" is really fun. Foreigners are automatically celebrities in the eyes of most Japanese kids. One of my favorite memories from my trip to Japan four years ago was when I walked past a school yard and stopped to watch the kids play baseball. They stopped playing and came over to the fence to try and talk to me.
Back to today's story: Along with some forty KG students I arrived at the school to an outrageous welcome: children were lined up at their windows, calling and waving to us. I thought the architecture of the school was a little depressing: lots of concrete and not that much sunlight in the halls. I also don't understand why Japanese kids always seem to play in dirt fields. Can't someone lay down some grass for them?
We spent most of the morning with some fifth graders in a lab/kitchen making udon. It's surprising easy, at least once you have the dough ready. I was impressed by the very fact that these fifth graders were learning to cook and working with real knives to boot. No U.S. school would risk a lawsuit by handing a kitchen blade over to an eleven year old.
In between preparing and cooking the udon we went outside for recess. I ended up in a giant, sprawling dodgeball game which I enjoyed thoroughly. We were all on a giant dirt field with lots of kids playing different games but there were no barriers so the games often collided. The soccer players got the worst end of this because they had to take great care not to get hit by the dodge balls, probably ruining their concentration.
After we cooked and ate the udon, it was time for lunch. Yeah, that sounds redundant but I guess there wasn't enough udon to count as a meal. We ate with some second graders who were a lot more hyperactive than the fifth graders. They asked me a lot of questions and spoke very fast so I couldn't make out much of what they wanted. The strangest question I did understand was "Do you have any kids?" I suppose that's not so surprising given my age; I bet I'm the same age as some of their parents! It was easy to appease them though, all I had to do was sign autographs. Like I said, foreigners are celebrities in Japan.
After lunch we all went back to the campus and the kids all waved and shouted "Bye Bye" to us. It was a very good experience, in part because I have aspirations to teach in the future but mostly because I love attention. You can see photos and a short video clip right here.
Between dodge ball and being up late last night I am very tired. I think I'll try to turn in early tonight. It's funny, I have absolutely no plans tomorrow at all. I would have liked to watch some baseball but both the World Series and the Japan Series ended in four-game sweeps! Guess that does it for sports on TV until the next Sumo tournament in November. Maybe I'll try to learn how to cook?
つづく... (Click here to read more)
Translation: "The birth of XI. A new history of KOF begins."
Thursday: I only had two classes and I spent a decent portion of my afternoon down at the 50 Yen arcade. What was the occasion? Yesterday was the release date for the newest chapter in the King of Fighters series and I was eager to see what they had come up with. My first impressions are pretty good, although the general din of the arcade didn't allow me to really take in much of the sound effects or music. The lineup is a bit odd, with a few returning characters I don't think anyone missed and some new ones who aren't going to win me over. There's definitely one cool-looking mo'fo' called Oswald and a sub-boss armed with a variety of weapons named Shion. The last boss is some brightly colored freak named Magaki that (as usual) seems completely unbeatable thanks to huge projectiles that bounce around the screen.
I would have liked to actually play the game instead of just watch it but there's a problem in Japanese arcades: they're full of sharks! Not literally, of course, but that's an appropriate analogy to describe these head-hunting players. Somehow, despite the fact that this chapter came out on Wednesday, they already know and have near-expert control of three or four different characters (including some brand new ones) and they love to beat the crap out of novices. The problem is not unique to Japan, you can see it in any Chinatown arcade as well. I'm tempted to say it's an "Asian" thing but that can't be right. Just because every shark I have ever seen has been Asian does not make it a unique ability of Asians.
Anyway, since everyone was all about the new game I thought I might try to enjoy myself on the relatively old NeoGeo Battle Coliseum but as soon as I sat down to play (yeah, Japanese arcades have seats, not to mention ashtrays) the sharks smelled my blood and dispatched me with great haste. You can always tell when a shark approaches because newer games have these special cards you can buy that record your progress, allow you to display a nickname on screen and pick from extra color palettes. If someone joins your game and breaks out one of these cards, you're in trouble.
In the evening I went into Osaka and hung out with Scott. We ate dinner at Yoshinoya and had a few drinks around the Umeda area. After getting a buzz on we went to a 50 Yen arcade and played a few games. Scott tried his hand at KOFXI and did his best amongst the sharks. I think he did win a round or two eventually. I tried NGBC again and managed to actually avoid human players entirely (although I still lost).
Friday: Today was less about classes and more about a field trip to a local elementary school. I was really psyched about this, not because I was eager to get out of school work but because I knew we were getting a rare opportunity. It's important to understand something about Japan: if you're a foreigner, you're special. Sometimes "special" can be bad, like when the cops assume you're up to no good, but when it comes to children "special" is really fun. Foreigners are automatically celebrities in the eyes of most Japanese kids. One of my favorite memories from my trip to Japan four years ago was when I walked past a school yard and stopped to watch the kids play baseball. They stopped playing and came over to the fence to try and talk to me.
Back to today's story: Along with some forty KG students I arrived at the school to an outrageous welcome: children were lined up at their windows, calling and waving to us. I thought the architecture of the school was a little depressing: lots of concrete and not that much sunlight in the halls. I also don't understand why Japanese kids always seem to play in dirt fields. Can't someone lay down some grass for them?
We spent most of the morning with some fifth graders in a lab/kitchen making udon. It's surprising easy, at least once you have the dough ready. I was impressed by the very fact that these fifth graders were learning to cook and working with real knives to boot. No U.S. school would risk a lawsuit by handing a kitchen blade over to an eleven year old.
In between preparing and cooking the udon we went outside for recess. I ended up in a giant, sprawling dodgeball game which I enjoyed thoroughly. We were all on a giant dirt field with lots of kids playing different games but there were no barriers so the games often collided. The soccer players got the worst end of this because they had to take great care not to get hit by the dodge balls, probably ruining their concentration.
After we cooked and ate the udon, it was time for lunch. Yeah, that sounds redundant but I guess there wasn't enough udon to count as a meal. We ate with some second graders who were a lot more hyperactive than the fifth graders. They asked me a lot of questions and spoke very fast so I couldn't make out much of what they wanted. The strangest question I did understand was "Do you have any kids?" I suppose that's not so surprising given my age; I bet I'm the same age as some of their parents! It was easy to appease them though, all I had to do was sign autographs. Like I said, foreigners are celebrities in Japan.
After lunch we all went back to the campus and the kids all waved and shouted "Bye Bye" to us. It was a very good experience, in part because I have aspirations to teach in the future but mostly because I love attention. You can see photos and a short video clip right here.
Between dodge ball and being up late last night I am very tired. I think I'll try to turn in early tonight. It's funny, I have absolutely no plans tomorrow at all. I would have liked to watch some baseball but both the World Series and the Japan Series ended in four-game sweeps! Guess that does it for sports on TV until the next Sumo tournament in November. Maybe I'll try to learn how to cook?
つづく... (Click here to read more)
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Exhausted
Whew! It was a very busy Wednesday for me today.
I capture my own shadow against some modern art on campus. Pretty cool.
Today was Kazu's birthday and we had lunch together along with a pair of Japanese girls. He congratulated me on forging a relationship with Mako. Similarly, the girls actually applauded when they saw her picture on my camera. In our conversation he made passing reference to "second base" which confused the two girls. Naturally, they insisted that I explain to them what that meant. I didn't have to say much actually, one you explain first and second base the last two are easy to guess. Still, I can't believe Kazu put me in that awkward position. He has no sense of when not to talk about something.
Anyway, the explanation launched a whole conversation of shimoneta ("indecent talk") which sadly was almost entirely in Japanese. I'll bet these girls had some great stories to tell, they were cute. I couldn't help but notice when one of them said "G Spot" in English (I guess there's no Japanese word for that). One of the girls didn't know what it was so the Kazu and the other girl tried to explain it. I offered to help by means of a crude hand gesture or two but surprisingly, my help was refused. Kazu made some kind of demonstration using two lunch trays and a tube of ChapStick but that didn't make a lick of sense. Eventually I think she got the message but along the way she made some hilarious facial expressions.
In my Japanese class I got a bit of a surprise: we've got to write and perform a skit and the script is due on Tuesday! I knew there would be a skit (it's on the syllabus) but to receive the assignment today and only having a few days to gather up a team and write a whole script is pretty short notice. I've got a few ideas kicking around, most of them involve me playing a drunk. I love acting!
After that momentary shock came a genuine marathon of work: two midterms back-to-back. The first one was pretty hard as it was all essay-questions (no choices either). I was writing the entire class period so my hand was quite uncomfortable by the end. The second test was mercifully shorter and mostly multiple-choice which was a relief. That one only took about half an hour. I think both turned out OK but the first one was a real drain.
I hustled straight from school to the station to meet Mako for another date. I've made mention lately that I have a lot of unresolved thoughts concerning me and Mako; nothing bad, I just feel like I need more clarification of what we have before I feel comfortable "letting go" and possibly falling for her. Well there weren't many "answers" tonight but I think the more time I spend with her the more I'll simply explore the matter in my own head. What did we do? We ate some surprisingly good Italian food and had a little fun alone in Osaka Castle Park. That castle sure is beautiful at night. I tried to take a picture but it turned out all blurry.
OK, that'll have to do for today. I need some sleep. Thursday is a light day but I still have to wake up at a decent hour.
つづく... (Click here to read more)
I capture my own shadow against some modern art on campus. Pretty cool.
Today was Kazu's birthday and we had lunch together along with a pair of Japanese girls. He congratulated me on forging a relationship with Mako. Similarly, the girls actually applauded when they saw her picture on my camera. In our conversation he made passing reference to "second base" which confused the two girls. Naturally, they insisted that I explain to them what that meant. I didn't have to say much actually, one you explain first and second base the last two are easy to guess. Still, I can't believe Kazu put me in that awkward position. He has no sense of when not to talk about something.
Anyway, the explanation launched a whole conversation of shimoneta ("indecent talk") which sadly was almost entirely in Japanese. I'll bet these girls had some great stories to tell, they were cute. I couldn't help but notice when one of them said "G Spot" in English (I guess there's no Japanese word for that). One of the girls didn't know what it was so the Kazu and the other girl tried to explain it. I offered to help by means of a crude hand gesture or two but surprisingly, my help was refused. Kazu made some kind of demonstration using two lunch trays and a tube of ChapStick but that didn't make a lick of sense. Eventually I think she got the message but along the way she made some hilarious facial expressions.
In my Japanese class I got a bit of a surprise: we've got to write and perform a skit and the script is due on Tuesday! I knew there would be a skit (it's on the syllabus) but to receive the assignment today and only having a few days to gather up a team and write a whole script is pretty short notice. I've got a few ideas kicking around, most of them involve me playing a drunk. I love acting!
After that momentary shock came a genuine marathon of work: two midterms back-to-back. The first one was pretty hard as it was all essay-questions (no choices either). I was writing the entire class period so my hand was quite uncomfortable by the end. The second test was mercifully shorter and mostly multiple-choice which was a relief. That one only took about half an hour. I think both turned out OK but the first one was a real drain.
I hustled straight from school to the station to meet Mako for another date. I've made mention lately that I have a lot of unresolved thoughts concerning me and Mako; nothing bad, I just feel like I need more clarification of what we have before I feel comfortable "letting go" and possibly falling for her. Well there weren't many "answers" tonight but I think the more time I spend with her the more I'll simply explore the matter in my own head. What did we do? We ate some surprisingly good Italian food and had a little fun alone in Osaka Castle Park. That castle sure is beautiful at night. I tried to take a picture but it turned out all blurry.
OK, that'll have to do for today. I need some sleep. Thursday is a light day but I still have to wake up at a decent hour.
つづく... (Click here to read more)
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Fill In The Blanks
I've got a lot of studying to do tonight (I have two exams tomorrow afternoon plus a date with Mako) but I'd like to try and catch up with the events of last week.
Thursday: I don't think there's that much more to say outside of my drunk post on Thursday night, except to clarify that these Moroccan girls were the same girls I met in Umeda last month. Other than drinking, talking and flirting nothing happened.
Friday: As summarized here, I was hung over on Friday from my night out with the Moroccan girls. I even threw up that morning, probably because I mixed beer and wine (both red and white). I spent most of Friday walking around in a daze and somehow managed to take a major exam in the afternoon. I got that test back today, by the way, and I scored a 99%. Sometimes, my power is beyond my understanding.
The big event that evening was a party in Osaka hosted by the cool teacher who I've mentioned several times in this blog. Every semester he arranges a party at this exclusive-looking club in Osaka (specifically the Kita-Shinchi neighborhood near Umeda) so that the students have an opportunity to hang out in a locale normally too expensive for them to see. Since I was hungover I tried to rationalize skipping the party but since I had already bought the tickets I felt like it would be incredibly wasteful not to go. In the end, I decided it was better to go and enjoy the live music without drinking much of anything.
I had tried to invite a number of people to come, including Kazu and Mako. In the end convinced Scott to go. He had been a little reluctant to invest in the evening but ultimately I think he felt it was worth it to see such a place for once. By the time the evening rolled around I was completely over my hangover anyway so I felt pretty good. Scott and I chilled out by ourselves for a while and showed up around the scheduled start time of 8PM.
The club was very small and felt like someone's apartment. Indeed, it was comparable to Hyde's apartment in size and its impressive view of the city (although Hyde's apartment is much higher up). There was an awkward amount of furniture sitting around which made traversing the room very difficult. Not many people were there at first because (of course) most people don't come to a party when it actually starts. The crowd didn't really build up until after 9. I only had one drink (a White Russian) and milked it (pun intended) for a long time.
With the crowd came the pressure to dance. I wasn't nearly intoxicated enough to relax and succumb to the music but eventually I did get up and dance a little bit. Somehow, I always found myself stuck in between another dude's back and one of the sofas. I definitely had fun and I didn't regret my decision to go at all but I did feel very tired and I was eager to leave before it got too late.
That about does it, I think. I've said all that can be said about Saturday and Sunday. The only ongoing internal "dilemma" I've got boiling right now is Mako and I'm going to see her tomorrow before I explore that matter in any detail. In short, I think she loves me and I've got to figure out if I'm ready to love her in return. Not a bad dilemma to have as dilemmas go.
See you tomorrow!
つづく... (Click here to read more)
Thursday: I don't think there's that much more to say outside of my drunk post on Thursday night, except to clarify that these Moroccan girls were the same girls I met in Umeda last month. Other than drinking, talking and flirting nothing happened.
Friday: As summarized here, I was hung over on Friday from my night out with the Moroccan girls. I even threw up that morning, probably because I mixed beer and wine (both red and white). I spent most of Friday walking around in a daze and somehow managed to take a major exam in the afternoon. I got that test back today, by the way, and I scored a 99%. Sometimes, my power is beyond my understanding.
The big event that evening was a party in Osaka hosted by the cool teacher who I've mentioned several times in this blog. Every semester he arranges a party at this exclusive-looking club in Osaka (specifically the Kita-Shinchi neighborhood near Umeda) so that the students have an opportunity to hang out in a locale normally too expensive for them to see. Since I was hungover I tried to rationalize skipping the party but since I had already bought the tickets I felt like it would be incredibly wasteful not to go. In the end, I decided it was better to go and enjoy the live music without drinking much of anything.
I had tried to invite a number of people to come, including Kazu and Mako. In the end convinced Scott to go. He had been a little reluctant to invest in the evening but ultimately I think he felt it was worth it to see such a place for once. By the time the evening rolled around I was completely over my hangover anyway so I felt pretty good. Scott and I chilled out by ourselves for a while and showed up around the scheduled start time of 8PM.
The club was very small and felt like someone's apartment. Indeed, it was comparable to Hyde's apartment in size and its impressive view of the city (although Hyde's apartment is much higher up). There was an awkward amount of furniture sitting around which made traversing the room very difficult. Not many people were there at first because (of course) most people don't come to a party when it actually starts. The crowd didn't really build up until after 9. I only had one drink (a White Russian) and milked it (pun intended) for a long time.
With the crowd came the pressure to dance. I wasn't nearly intoxicated enough to relax and succumb to the music but eventually I did get up and dance a little bit. Somehow, I always found myself stuck in between another dude's back and one of the sofas. I definitely had fun and I didn't regret my decision to go at all but I did feel very tired and I was eager to leave before it got too late.
That about does it, I think. I've said all that can be said about Saturday and Sunday. The only ongoing internal "dilemma" I've got boiling right now is Mako and I'm going to see her tomorrow before I explore that matter in any detail. In short, I think she loves me and I've got to figure out if I'm ready to love her in return. Not a bad dilemma to have as dilemmas go.
See you tomorrow!
つづく... (Click here to read more)
Photo Appreciation Post
I'm at school right now with plenty on my mind but in the meantime, here are some photos for you!
Firstly, I added lots of pictures to Saturday's post. You can see an assortment of different images from the parade, a thirty second video clip featuring music and even take a look at the horse meat I had afterwards. Enjoy it all!
Now, let's get to what everyone's been looking for: photos of Mako! Click on a photo for a larger version if you can handle the cuteness.
Here's Mako in Kobe when we first met last month.
In Kyoto last Sunday, Mako poses with one of the many bull statues at Kitano Tenmangu.
Climbing some shaded steps at Ryoanji.
Courtesy of her camera, the two of us pose at Ginkakuji.
I took this one on Sunday in Tennoji Park. A larger version exists but I think it's kind of an "extreme close-up" situation and it looks awkward.
So there she is. I still can't believe it either. Much more can (and needs to) be said on this matter but that can wait until after classes are over. I've got two exams tomorrow afternoon and we're having dinner together again. Guess which one is more pressing on my mind right now?
つづく... (Click here to read more)
Firstly, I added lots of pictures to Saturday's post. You can see an assortment of different images from the parade, a thirty second video clip featuring music and even take a look at the horse meat I had afterwards. Enjoy it all!
Now, let's get to what everyone's been looking for: photos of Mako! Click on a photo for a larger version if you can handle the cuteness.
Here's Mako in Kobe when we first met last month.
In Kyoto last Sunday, Mako poses with one of the many bull statues at Kitano Tenmangu.
Climbing some shaded steps at Ryoanji.
Courtesy of her camera, the two of us pose at Ginkakuji.
I took this one on Sunday in Tennoji Park. A larger version exists but I think it's kind of an "extreme close-up" situation and it looks awkward.
So there she is. I still can't believe it either. Much more can (and needs to) be said on this matter but that can wait until after classes are over. I've got two exams tomorrow afternoon and we're having dinner together again. Guess which one is more pressing on my mind right now?
つづく... (Click here to read more)
Monday, October 24, 2005
Fickle Finger of Romance
Yesterday was a very rewarding experience as I spent another day with Mako. Everything was wonderful and we grew even closer than we were before. Then I said something that almost ruined everything.
I was up early to make sure I didn't turn up late for our date, a problem I've had more than once which I'm not proud of. As I was eating breakfast I was surprised to see Game One of the World Series live on TV. I would have loved to stay and watch it but I had far more important plans.
It was raining in Hirakata which forced me to bring an umbrella even though I knew it wasn't raining in Osaka. At the bus stop I saw a magnificent rainbow which I tried to photograph but I don't think it showed up very well. The bus ride was memorable for two reasons: we passed a crowd carrying a mikoshi in the rain and one of the riders started arguing with the bus driver when we got close to the station. I couldn't understand most of it but I think he wanted to get off the bus before the regular stop (we were stopped at a traffic light) but the bus driver wouldn't open the door. So he started screaming at the driver who responded in turn, threatening to call the police. Once we got underway, the matter fizzled out and I think the agitator even paid his fare. I expected him to run off the bus without paying as some kind of protest.
I met Mako in Tennoji, an area of Osaka I was unfamiliar with. It was my suggestion to meet there as I wanted to see the Tennoji Zoo inside of Tennoji Park. Think of Central Park, only smaller, and you can imagine Tennoji Park. Mako had never been there so she thought it was a great idea. The weather was right up my alley, too: clear skies but not that warm and a strong breeze. I wore my Skimmer/Duster combo and looked positively dashing if I may say so myself.
The zoo was on the small side but worth the trip. I was delighted at how close I was able to get to certain creatures, such as a tiger and some assorted penguins. They didn't have a panda and their polar bear died last year (two of my favorites) but their sea lion exhibit was very exciting. It was a large pool with four sea lions inside and about a dozen birds hovering about. Customers could pay 100 Yen to buy some diced fish and throw it into the pool. Sometimes the sea lions got it, sometimes the birds got it. Sometimes they'd fight over it. Very cool, fun for all ages. Mako and I even snuck in a few kisses by the owl exhibit when we realized no one was around.
We ate our lunch picnic-style in the zoo; Mako had bought sandwiches for us which I thought was so sweet of her. She often pays for things or we simply split the bill which I really appreciate. I've tried the "no no let me pay" bit once or twice but Mako always ends up paying for something else later so I gave up. Over lunch we talked about this blog as I wanted to make sure she was OK with me talking about her and showing her picture. She happily agreed to both! I'm still going to do my best to respectfully conceal facts that aren't suitable for public discourse but at least now I can show all of you what she looks like.
It was after the zoo that things started to get very exciting, both emotionally and physically. We took a brief stroll up a hill and then sat in a semi-secluded spot for about an hour. There was some romancing, naturally, but the conversation was the real gem: Mako made it clear to me that she has very strong feelings for me. She told me 「一緒にいたい」(isshoni itai) meaning "[I] want [us] to be together." When she told me this I realized that she and I were both privately dealing with the same problem; neither one of us was sure if the other was ready for a steady relationship yet we both yearned for one. We fumbled our words a bit but we formally declared ourselves boyfriend and girlfriend. Funny language note: the Japanese words for "boyfriend" (彼, kare) and "girlfriend" (彼女, kanojo) are exactly the same words as "he" and "she." I suspect it's because pronouns are so seldom used in this language that to designate someone as "he" or "she" is a big deal!
We spent another hour or two walking around the park, enjoying some lovely gardens and being alone together whenever we could. I noticed that after our "agreement" she seemed much more responsive to our physical interaction. Previously, I had felt like I was being a little overbearing in the hand holding/waist grabbing/etc. but now I see that she was just waiting for me to sit down and talk about the whole relationship thing with her. From that point forward she was much more eager to be affectionate, even in public.
We had previously decided on Indian food for dinner so we went to a restaurant Mako had picked out in Umeda. It was really quite good and very nostalgic for me as I ate a lot of Indian food this summer in New York. Mako had never had a Mango Lassi before and she really liked it. The ratio of price to serving size was a bit high (bread or rice with an entree cost extra) but thanks to Mako's internet research she brought a coupon for 20% off! Once again I was impressed by her resourcefulness and heads-up planning.
It was still a bit early so we stopped in a cafe to talk before returning to our respective homes. During this time I noticed Mako's demeanor change dramatically: she looked very sad and we found ourselves with far too many silences. I asked her if something was wrong; she said no but I could tell she was just showing tatemae. When we walked to the train station and I held her hand she was no longer squeezing mine in reciprocal affection; her hand was instead completely limp. She was suddenly reluctant to hold me at all when we said goodbye. I went home wondering if I had done something wrong or if she was just somehow tired.
When I e-mailed her from the train ride home (I always send her a message after our dates, typically along the lines of "good night" or "I can't wait to see you again") her response was both upsetting and enlightening. She was sad because I had mentioned (purely in passing) my return to the States next May. While this was definitely something I had mentioned before ("When are you leaving?" usually comes up in most conversations within five minutes) it somehow surprised her and left her feeling very sad and regretful. I had to wait until I got home to fully translate her message (there was no room for misunderstanding here) and in my response I tried to tell her that we still had a lot of time to spend together and I hoped we could enjoy it. It was late when I mailed her so I knew I wouldn't get a response before this morning, if at all. Indeed, I struggled to go to sleep as I feared she would simply mokusatsu me.
With our future uncertain (and entirely out of my hands), I did my best to operate normally this morning. If I found myself worrying too much about it I simply thought about baseball. I wasn't about to turn this into a depressing heartbreak situation as I simply had too much going on right now. I couldn't afford any emotional troubles interfering with my schoolwork or my personal re-building process. I also refused to beat myself up over what I had said; better that she acknowledge my departure now rather than later. If she couldn't handle that then we shouldn't be starting anything.
My phone rang during my early morning class, right in the middle of my kanji quiz in fact. Mako had sent me a mail, telling me she had thought it over "too much" and decided that she still wanted to be with me (again saying isshoni itai). I was elated, relieved and overjoyed all at once. After a near wipeout mere hours after we officially became a couple, we were a couple again.
So that's where we stand right now: we're a couple and I think she loves me. Obviously, caution must still be taken but for now I feel very, very happy. We're going to have dinner on Wednesday (I'm going to find an Italian place) and presumably we'll make a habit of getting together on weekends when possible. Personally, I'm relieved I didn't have time to blog about this last night because it would have forced me to either jump to a conclusion or wallow too much in my uncertainty. Instead, patience prevailed and I'm feeling great again.
I promise to say more about the party on Friday and provide all of you with pictures from the festival and of Mako. Bear with me in the meantime and I hope you're all well. I'm awesome, thanks for asking.
つづく... (Click here to read more)
I was up early to make sure I didn't turn up late for our date, a problem I've had more than once which I'm not proud of. As I was eating breakfast I was surprised to see Game One of the World Series live on TV. I would have loved to stay and watch it but I had far more important plans.
It was raining in Hirakata which forced me to bring an umbrella even though I knew it wasn't raining in Osaka. At the bus stop I saw a magnificent rainbow which I tried to photograph but I don't think it showed up very well. The bus ride was memorable for two reasons: we passed a crowd carrying a mikoshi in the rain and one of the riders started arguing with the bus driver when we got close to the station. I couldn't understand most of it but I think he wanted to get off the bus before the regular stop (we were stopped at a traffic light) but the bus driver wouldn't open the door. So he started screaming at the driver who responded in turn, threatening to call the police. Once we got underway, the matter fizzled out and I think the agitator even paid his fare. I expected him to run off the bus without paying as some kind of protest.
I met Mako in Tennoji, an area of Osaka I was unfamiliar with. It was my suggestion to meet there as I wanted to see the Tennoji Zoo inside of Tennoji Park. Think of Central Park, only smaller, and you can imagine Tennoji Park. Mako had never been there so she thought it was a great idea. The weather was right up my alley, too: clear skies but not that warm and a strong breeze. I wore my Skimmer/Duster combo and looked positively dashing if I may say so myself.
The zoo was on the small side but worth the trip. I was delighted at how close I was able to get to certain creatures, such as a tiger and some assorted penguins. They didn't have a panda and their polar bear died last year (two of my favorites) but their sea lion exhibit was very exciting. It was a large pool with four sea lions inside and about a dozen birds hovering about. Customers could pay 100 Yen to buy some diced fish and throw it into the pool. Sometimes the sea lions got it, sometimes the birds got it. Sometimes they'd fight over it. Very cool, fun for all ages. Mako and I even snuck in a few kisses by the owl exhibit when we realized no one was around.
We ate our lunch picnic-style in the zoo; Mako had bought sandwiches for us which I thought was so sweet of her. She often pays for things or we simply split the bill which I really appreciate. I've tried the "no no let me pay" bit once or twice but Mako always ends up paying for something else later so I gave up. Over lunch we talked about this blog as I wanted to make sure she was OK with me talking about her and showing her picture. She happily agreed to both! I'm still going to do my best to respectfully conceal facts that aren't suitable for public discourse but at least now I can show all of you what she looks like.
It was after the zoo that things started to get very exciting, both emotionally and physically. We took a brief stroll up a hill and then sat in a semi-secluded spot for about an hour. There was some romancing, naturally, but the conversation was the real gem: Mako made it clear to me that she has very strong feelings for me. She told me 「一緒にいたい」(isshoni itai) meaning "[I] want [us] to be together." When she told me this I realized that she and I were both privately dealing with the same problem; neither one of us was sure if the other was ready for a steady relationship yet we both yearned for one. We fumbled our words a bit but we formally declared ourselves boyfriend and girlfriend. Funny language note: the Japanese words for "boyfriend" (彼, kare) and "girlfriend" (彼女, kanojo) are exactly the same words as "he" and "she." I suspect it's because pronouns are so seldom used in this language that to designate someone as "he" or "she" is a big deal!
We spent another hour or two walking around the park, enjoying some lovely gardens and being alone together whenever we could. I noticed that after our "agreement" she seemed much more responsive to our physical interaction. Previously, I had felt like I was being a little overbearing in the hand holding/waist grabbing/etc. but now I see that she was just waiting for me to sit down and talk about the whole relationship thing with her. From that point forward she was much more eager to be affectionate, even in public.
We had previously decided on Indian food for dinner so we went to a restaurant Mako had picked out in Umeda. It was really quite good and very nostalgic for me as I ate a lot of Indian food this summer in New York. Mako had never had a Mango Lassi before and she really liked it. The ratio of price to serving size was a bit high (bread or rice with an entree cost extra) but thanks to Mako's internet research she brought a coupon for 20% off! Once again I was impressed by her resourcefulness and heads-up planning.
It was still a bit early so we stopped in a cafe to talk before returning to our respective homes. During this time I noticed Mako's demeanor change dramatically: she looked very sad and we found ourselves with far too many silences. I asked her if something was wrong; she said no but I could tell she was just showing tatemae. When we walked to the train station and I held her hand she was no longer squeezing mine in reciprocal affection; her hand was instead completely limp. She was suddenly reluctant to hold me at all when we said goodbye. I went home wondering if I had done something wrong or if she was just somehow tired.
When I e-mailed her from the train ride home (I always send her a message after our dates, typically along the lines of "good night" or "I can't wait to see you again") her response was both upsetting and enlightening. She was sad because I had mentioned (purely in passing) my return to the States next May. While this was definitely something I had mentioned before ("When are you leaving?" usually comes up in most conversations within five minutes) it somehow surprised her and left her feeling very sad and regretful. I had to wait until I got home to fully translate her message (there was no room for misunderstanding here) and in my response I tried to tell her that we still had a lot of time to spend together and I hoped we could enjoy it. It was late when I mailed her so I knew I wouldn't get a response before this morning, if at all. Indeed, I struggled to go to sleep as I feared she would simply mokusatsu me.
With our future uncertain (and entirely out of my hands), I did my best to operate normally this morning. If I found myself worrying too much about it I simply thought about baseball. I wasn't about to turn this into a depressing heartbreak situation as I simply had too much going on right now. I couldn't afford any emotional troubles interfering with my schoolwork or my personal re-building process. I also refused to beat myself up over what I had said; better that she acknowledge my departure now rather than later. If she couldn't handle that then we shouldn't be starting anything.
My phone rang during my early morning class, right in the middle of my kanji quiz in fact. Mako had sent me a mail, telling me she had thought it over "too much" and decided that she still wanted to be with me (again saying isshoni itai). I was elated, relieved and overjoyed all at once. After a near wipeout mere hours after we officially became a couple, we were a couple again.
So that's where we stand right now: we're a couple and I think she loves me. Obviously, caution must still be taken but for now I feel very, very happy. We're going to have dinner on Wednesday (I'm going to find an Italian place) and presumably we'll make a habit of getting together on weekends when possible. Personally, I'm relieved I didn't have time to blog about this last night because it would have forced me to either jump to a conclusion or wallow too much in my uncertainty. Instead, patience prevailed and I'm feeling great again.
I promise to say more about the party on Friday and provide all of you with pictures from the festival and of Mako. Bear with me in the meantime and I hope you're all well. I'm awesome, thanks for asking.
つづく... (Click here to read more)
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