a history of me

It's interesting, now that finals are over everyone has started to disappear. That happens at every college before break but here, there's something different. We're all exchange students from various nations, so when our time here ends we go back to our homes far, far away. Odds are, I will never see any of these people ever again and I'm just realizing this today. It makes me feel a little sad.

There are plenty of students still here and many are just leaving for the break. Most of them are talking about the just-announced World Cup seedings. Most American students couldn't care less, of course. I'm interested but I have no idea what teams are "good" or "bad." All I know is that the US team won't win. In fact, most of the students are saying they have no chance to even qualify for the second round (if that's even what they call it). Personally, I'm much more interested in the World Baseball Classic next spring and not just because I think the US might be awesome. Whoever wins, they'll be plenty of familiar faces on the winning team and I'm just a baseball fan at heart.

Tomorrow is Mako's birthday and we're going to spend the day together. I wish it was tomorrow already. With so many people disappearing I spent some unhappy time today thinking about what might happen when I have to go home. Can't dwell on that though, no point in anticipating heartbreak. Nobody knows what's going to happen next May, let alone next month!

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That's it, folks! Consider my fall semester in the bag.

I did my best to sleep in after last night's revelry but I found myself having another troubling dream. Since there seem to be a lot of people interested in hearing about my dreams, I'll tell you what the bulk of it involved: me and my ex-girlfriend getting back together. The question I keep asking myself is what exactly disturbs me the most about that particular dream. Am I upset that I can never get back together with her in real life or am I upset that I still think about her when I should really be over her already? Either way, it's a really lousy dream that puts me in a bad mood.

Whatever the reasons, once I was up I stayed up. I ended up going to campus very early and hanging around with Kazu and Jacques for a while. We had lunch and then we split up to do our own things. I spent a little time reviewing for my last exam while doing other internet business. Ultimately I was just killing time.

The test came and went in a flash; as I expected I only needed about thirty minutes to complete it. Naturally I couldn't remember everything, indeed, I was kind of peeved that I forgot the name of the plane that dropped the bomb on Nagasaki. Fortunately that was only an extra credit question so I'm sure I still got a very good grade.

After the exam I met up with Kazu again and helped with an English language paper he needed to hand in that afternoon. He, in turn, checked my grammar on Mako's birthday card. Jacques invited us both to join him and his girlfriend Manami to go drinking in Osaka which I accepted but Kazu had other plans. He always seems to have other plans...

Jacques was actually interested in going to Cafe Absinthe which I visited back in September. I couldn't think of a single reason not to go there and dance with the Green Fairy so I happily showed him the way. Not surprisingly, Manami thought it was gross and unpalatable after only one or two sips. Jacques seemed to enjoy it although we both agree that the taste is far from pleasant. The effects are quick and welcome though; it's not like getting "drunk" on normal liquor. It just gives you an overall pleasant feeling (or at least that's what I got tonight).

For kicks we also opted to try using a hookah, something I've never tried before. It was really nice and for just 500 Yen that thing went a loooong way. Jacques and I both took more hits off of it than we could take (Manami tried it just once), eventually paying the bill before it was "kicked."




To coin a phrase, 「味の国にようこそ。」 (Welcome to Flavor Country)

We couldn't afford to eat or drink our fill at the cafe so we went for a walk back towards the Shinsaibashi station. I recalled a southern-themed bar I had wanted to check out and the three of us investigated. It's called "Lone Star" and it was a pretty fun place. Jacques and I got some really good burgers, each topped with a fried egg no less. The Christmas music playing in the background wasn't quite right for the atmosphere but the food and drinks were tasty.

So I'm on break! What the hell do I do now?

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No exams today. Spent some time (and money) exploring my own interests. Wouldn't you know it, these interests involved Scott and a generous amount of alcohol.

My only "urgent" business of the day was buying a birthday present for Mako. I took a shot in the dark and picked up a nice looking necklace. It's shiny and it has a heart on it so I hope she'll like it. Nothing too fancy or pricey, hopefully it's just romantic enough to put that wonderful smile she has on her face.

Played more KOF XI this evening, almost beat it! I came within one hit of beating that pink-skinned freak but he hit me first and it was over. Still, I guess I'm getting the hang of it. Also saw the new Fist of the North Star fighter, it looks like fun. Didn't play it though, the "sharks" were in the water.

I spent the evening with Scott, drinking and talking about life's major (and minor) issues. Got to see a lot more of his photographs (the man is an artist) while drinking a lot of booze. It's odd, it seems like I can't get a buzz without downing at least a liter of beer these days. Maybe I should try something stronger? Scott drinks a lot of chuhai which is kind of a "girl's drink" with all of its fruity flavors but some of it seems pretty potent (6% or more). Eh, then again I don't think I need to invest too much time or effort into getting drunk. It's fun, to be sure, but it's not very healthy.

Last exam is tomorrow afternoon. No worries, it should be a pushover!

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Long title, long day! Trust me, it makes sense in a geeky sort of way.

I should take a step back to acknowledge that last night, after I blogged, I was invited to join a large group of students in the dining room for some kind of meal. I don't know what they were celebrating but I suspect it had something to do with the end of Japanese classes and finals. It seems one student, Carlos, made nearly all the food which was very nice of him. I didn't expect to be invited as I wasn't in their Japanese class and I barely speak to Carlos at all (he doesn't understand much English) but I guess it was just a matter of being in the right place at the right time. We didn't eat anything fancy, it was just simple stuff like white rice, toast, potatoes, spaghetti, and the like. I was very grateful to be included.

I slept in this morning after having a weird dream. I hate my dreams so I don't try very hard to remember them or even mention them here. I'm pretty certain that the images I see are completely random and hold no meaning in my real life. Sure, I've had a few dream interpretations that eerily mirrored something that was going on my life but from a statistical standpoint I think dreams are no different than horoscopes: just because one might make sense every once in a while doesn't explain why it doesn't make sense most of the time.

Just for kicks, I'll offer you a sampling of recent dream images (this includes more than one evening as opposed to one single dream):

• Going to class to take a final exam and discovering the test is entirely dedicated to material I don't know.
• Reconciling with my ex-girlfriend.
• Embracing a giant spider.
• Arguing with my friends back home.
• Various sexual encounters, some pleasant and some not.

Utter nonsense, all of it.

This afternoon's exams went pretty much as I expected. The first one was all essay questions so by the end of the class period my wrist, hand and pencil-holding fingers hurt like hell. The second one was much easier and I completed it in about thirty minutes. I won't know the results until next week and I'm going to do my best to not think about it all. Put simply, the grades don't matter. I passed the exams and I passed the classes so I receive the credits and I will be allowed to stay. UAlbany doesn't care what grades I receive nor will my transcripts or GPA reflect them so why should I care? I like A's but in reality they're no different than C's in my present situation.

It's imperative that I not confuse wants with needs. That's a bad habit.

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Bleh, it may be warmer today than yesterday but as a trade off we got lots of rain. I'd rather take the wind chill!

This morning's exam was my last Japanese exam of the semester. Again, I was surprised by the level of difficulty and the format. The last question asked us to write a dialogue in Japanese based on our choice of images. This is totally out of left field; none of our previous tests had such a question on it. It's not that it was too hard, I just always struggle with these kinds of tasks. I heard some students talking later about how "fun" and "easy" it was, so I guess I'm the only person who doesn't like it. I guess I just feel the exams should focus on our ability to demonstrate that we know the answers, not my ability to be creative and spontaneous on the spot. Maybe I'm just saying that because it's much easier for me to do the former as opposed to the latter.

Anyway, with this test behind me that means no more Japanese! I can close those books and pack them away until next semester. I can speak nothing but English from now until the end of January. Oh, except when I see Mako. And go to restaurants. Or the supermarket. Or anywhere outside of my room. Or when I study for the Jump Test! On second thought, nothing has changed.

I think I'm only kidding about wanting to take a break from Japanese. After all, it's probably been my largest "hobby" for the last five years. Then again, it wouldn't be the first hobby I had a great interest in that simply faded over time. Am I really facing the end of my interest in Japanese? That would be one hell of a Murphy's Law situation! I'm sure it's nothing that serious though. A week of reviewing and examinations in any subject would leave me feeling tired.

On a totally different subject I've been getting a steady helping of (old) Brando this week. Sunday night The Godfather was on TV and this afternoon I saw Apocalypse Now Redux in its entirety. I've only seen that movie once before (and it was the "normal" version) so it was kind of a lot to take. I don't dislike the movie but I don't think I enjoy it as much as the rest of the world seems to. Maybe I'm just more attached to Full Metal Jacket

Well, let's answer the big question from Sunday's post. Firstly, I should explain that I never asked Mako for anything besides a picture of her in America. Being a total lech I actually asked for one where she was wearing a bathing suit but this only made her laugh. Secondly, as far as the red herring comment goes, four of the five choices should be considered as such since I had to think of false answers to hide the real one. However, E could be considered particularly sneaky as students of Japanese would know that "Don" and "Dan" are phonetically equivalent. C was intended as a kind of ironic gag answer because I find humor in the notion of a Japanese tourist buying a souvenir that relates to the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Is that in poor taste? In any case, my dad picked up on that when he e-mailed me.

The actual answer is B, a pair of grey boxer shorts. I have no idea why. I've had girlfriends buy boxers for me before but that was when I exclusively wore briefs. Since seeing the dermatologist about my medical problems in the Spring I only wear boxers these days. Maybe she just wanted to see me in them? I'll be happy to oblidge!

Two exams tomorrow, including an all-essay affair which the (super cool) professor advised us will require us to "think." Uh-oh!


つづく... (Click here to read more)

If you haven't already seen it, please read yesterday's post for a look at the latest photo of Mako and I. Also, please try and guess what Mako brought me from the U.S.

It was quite cold today, not yet freezing but definitely the coldest day of the season so far. It actually snowed on the coastal areas to the north and south! No sign of it around here though. Friends and family have told me it snowed back home in New York. It's funny, I don't seem to enjoy the cold weather as much as I used to. Did I get used to being too warm everyday?

Today's final exam was in Reading and Writing. I was surprised at the increased level of difficulty, especially the unexpected last question when we were asked to give someone advice in Japanese. In all of our previous exams, only the first one asked us to "free write" anything and that was just a basic introduction. This was much harder than I thought it would be and I needed several minutes to formulate some advice and then decide what sentiments I could express given my limited knowledge of the language. Don't worry, I'm sure I still got an A, I just didn't think I'd have to fight so hard for it.

Speaking of A's I got one paper back from last week and it was an A-. That's pretty good and it bodes well for my "four of a kind" (get it?) hopes. I also stopped in the campus convenience store to shop for a birthday card for Mako. At first I was a little discouraged as I didn't know how to read most of the cards. Ultimately I found one with a pleasing image on the front and a nice sentiment (which I can grasp the gist of) on the inside. I suppose what's printed inside isn't as important as what I write inside so I'll have to start experimenting with that soon. For the record, Mako wrote her card to me in both English and Japanese so I should respond in turn. I'll probably run my ideas by Yui tomorrow; she's a good sport so I'm sure she won't object to assisting me with that.

Finally, a word about the odd title. Since it's Finals Week, I'm going to name all my posts this week in Japanese. There is a pattern but it would take too long (and be far too silly) to explain it. Just enjoy it.


つづく... (Click here to read more)

Wow, the weather today was absolutely miserable. Pretty cold, very wet and nothing but grey skies in every direction. Naturally, I was elated because I got to spend time with Mako!

We met in Umeda and, having nothing to lose, I surprised Mako with some flowers (roses) which she adored. She gave me a present as well (we'll get back to that) and then we spent at least an hour having coffee/tea while she told me about her trip to Disneyland and Hawaii. One of the highlights of her trip was getting carded when she tried to order some booze. The scariest moment came when a "strange man" waiting behind her in line told her she was "cute" and then hugged her! Thankfully, she pushed him away and nothing else came of it. She also said "everyone stared at her" when she went with her friend to a "Mexican supermarket."

Lunch was Korean food again (we seem to eat it a lot together) and I learned a valuable lesson: if you're eating noodles with a side dish of rice, don't put the noodles in or on top of the rice. It will look weird. Meat and vegetables are OK though.

We did our best to remain indoors/underground as much as possible to stay dry. Thankfully Umeda is a neighborhood full of department stores and shopping areas that allow for extensive passage protected from the weather. I had the clever idea of going to HEP Five and riding the Ferris Wheel on the roof. The weather was very gloomy but we definitely enjoyed the ride. ^_^


Call me a sucker but I paid for the souvenier photo of us together. This is a scan so it's lower quality than usual. Also, Dani, here's that look at my haircut that you asked for.

We parted after only a few hours because she wanted to make sure I got home in time to study for finals. It wasn't until after I got home that I opened her present and I was very surprised! Let's play a game: What was Mako's gift to me from America?

• [A] A bag of Hershey's Kisses.
• [B] A pair of grey boxer shorts.
• [C] A USS Arizona T-shirt.
• [D] A jar of salsa from the "Mexican supermarket."
• [E] A pair of Mickey Mouse ears with "Don" written on them.

Today was so wonderful. I don't know where this relationship is going and I almost don't care. I love her and I love spending time with her so what else is there?

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