Spring Break

Hey, spring break starts tomorrow, so I probably won't post much for a little bit. I am toying with the idea of trying to read a Japanese novel each day (one of those train-carry sized paperback ones that are popular over here). Or maybe I will try hitchhiking. Either way, I'm sure I would learn tons of Japanese.
May you all have a productive time as well!

Life is Good in Japan

As I walk down to the little market (such cheap food!) I encounter many little treasures. An old woman with a poodle in a baby satchel on her back. Two other dogs of a breed I forget (boxer?) that go crazy when they see me. My little clothes washing place. A small garden/tea house. The woman comes out, wondering if I am a customer. "Oh, it's just that it's beautiful, so..." I say bashfully. I notice on my way back that there is a small basin out in front of the soba shop, and little silver fish are swimming within.
A simple walk to get a drink, and all these reminders: I'm glad I moved here.

Prodigously Panoramific

I upload them so you don't have to! What? I dunno. This is my life in a wide angle.

Okay, this and the next one aren't panoramas, but are in fact my graduation messages for my graduating kids last go around. All funny-looking kanji were done by my own blighted hand. This is why I came to Japan, so I could do these two specific graduation messages.

One reason why I take bike rides.

So I says to him, I says, "that's some handsome hay."

From Nagasaki's artificial Holland. Expensive town; you have to pay just to walk around it. Two more:


Tara, the sea, and the mountains.

Sento-kun waits

As Deas reported, Sento-kun has been replaced by something much cuter.


But Sento-kun waits. (I drew this)(click to zoom to full creepy glory). Sento is patient and happy, and he can wait a long time.
You may enjoy my vid of the Nara deer, while we're touching on that place. Also a Deas link, cometathinkofit.

Speaking of creepy-cute hulks check out kitty-curling (a small preview doesn't do this one justice). At the suggestion of an IM friend it was made. The wii fit boxing actually does seem to have made me stronger; I've gained a couple kilos of muscle and can lift my dumbells cats with much more ease.

Avocado coal walking manga irrelevance!

Photodump: school, lantern fest, and ferry ride

After the "fight," the students started calling me a hero. I found this image when I went into the announcement room to do my show; they said it was me punishing. Well... they got the bright red eyebrows right...

Students have huge problems with creativity. So I thought this worksheet I made would be a failure (they choose the panel order and write the dialogue) but a surprising number came through on it.



A girl made this. Not only the first time I've seen a girl use a traditionally male pencil case design and make it into something else, but then she attached lucky charms like it was a cell-phone.

Thinking in spheres

Super Mario Galaxy is fun, if somewhat too easy. But anyways, it has me thinking in spherical shapes. I don't think I can describe it. But it is a bit dizzying to even type now. It's like I am thinking the words on a round surface as I try to contemplate what to say. Maybe a new form of synthaesthesia, because I can like, feel the words like a bird would feel where north is.
My cold/unnecessary medication may be contributing...

This also reminds me in a way of times when I have sat up all night forgoing sleep in favor of reading a novel. Then the next morning thinking in the third person omniscient about my actions.

2nd Tokyo vid

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There comes a point in between studying Japanese and teaching English, that English grammar starts to look really complicated and strange. It really got to me when the kids were studying 関係代名詞 (relative pronouns) this year. Why do we do that? Not that hard, but this grammar seems almost alien to me now.
"This is the language which seems overly complicated. Anyone? Anyone?"

Something to worry the mothers out there

Street play

I'll probably make a vid about it later, but I got to say that the street play I just saw was wild fun. The crowd was mostly homeless folks from around the hostel, and they were quite raucous. Especially Mr. Argue. I have seen Mr. Argue arguing with the air. So he argued with the play today. I have thought of jumping in when he is arguing with the air. You know, back him up against his invisible assailant. But what if the invisible assailant makes a really good point and makes me look bad in front of Mr. Argue?

Almost over

On new year's day I go back. And recover as much as possible.
I just saw this, and was thinking, wow I'm not the only one?
Did the Akihabara thing today. It kinda sucked. Den Den Town in Osaka has much cheaper merchandise, and is not nearly as sleazy. Tried to go to a maid cafe, but the line was too long. Saw a foreigner maid though, that was interesting; she had Japanese maid hair, if that makes sense.

Things would be easier if I had buddies around. The other people at the hostel are mostly quiet Asians that travel in groups and don't really need to talk with others, but I got to talking with a girl from Hong Kong. She was interesting; wish I had more time to ask about her city.

Oh, and totally flubbed a chance for a date in the big city before I leave. A girl gave me directions (without me asking, she just saw me looking at a map), and asked "Are you traveling alone?" among other things. That is sooo code for do you have a girlfriend? is it not? But I didn't notice and said goodbye once we got to the place I was going. Blarg. A date could have cheered me up too. And don't give me that crap about she was just being nice. A guy has to dream when in the city.

My buttocks

My butt feels like raw hamburger. Which seems appropriate, because I understand the butt is where hamburger meat comes from.
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I spent all day angry. Someone owes me an apology, or at the very least, "that was a really not cool thing to do." But I won't be getting that apology, so I'll just sit on my raw booty and fume a bit.
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Don't worry. Despite grumbles, I'm having a fabulous time. But not gay fabulous. Well some of the girls in the clubs could be gu... never mind.

Where did it go?

Hanging out at clubs makes me realize one thing: soon I will be too old to hang out at clubs. If I was Japanese, I would have a future of drinking with people from work for entertainment. Shudder.
Kind of a depressing night, can you tell? I think I am just tired.

Also, Californians are a little weird. Just throwing that out there. They're nice though.

It doth behooveth me to bloggeth

Do not know where that title is going.

My feet are sore! Lots of walking. Yesterday Asakasa, and today Ueno Koen. Traveling is not too hard; Tokyo station names are so indelably mixed with pop culture that I recognize all the station names, and thanks to 2kyu, I can match kanji with pronunciations. Digital camera is turning out to be an excellent map-holder.
Don't know what tonight will hold in store, hopefully I can meet with a certain blogger.

Tokyo day one

So, I gotta admit, I'm not entirely sure why I decided to come here, and for so long. I guess I had to do with making it worth my money and seeing a friend. Also, people look at you strange if you don't have Tokyo cred. But I would have been just as happy exploring Kyushu. Because all of Japan is basically the same. But Tokyo does have a little something...
I am hosteling up in the dodgy end of town. Literally droves of homeless people here; quite the change from the rest of Japan in that regard; they are usually not seen (just their tents around Osaka-jo and such), but they were numerous and I dare say have a community.
So they say no good deed goes unpunished. I watched a really drunk girl wobbling about. Then slowly she melted into a prone position. I kinda shook her--no one else seemed concerned-- and asked if she wanted a cab. She didn't respond at all. So I asked where the cops where and went to their box, all the while keeping that grim saying in my mind. And wouldn't you know it, that cop woke her up (just let her walk away), but took my name and phone number. Why? I don't think they are gonna send me a good Samaritan award.

PS, they choose some intimidating foreigners to get people to go to clubs. Does that really work?

Oh! ひたけ (not the real title but...)

Click to see this pic at full resolution

Strange circumstances led me to make blueberry curry

And it wasn't so bad.

Well, it has cute kitties at least...

Also, other Saga-people, I have one more cat I am willing to give away, but act before I and it become too attached to each other, ne.

This month's blog matsuri

Japanese bloggers come together once a month or so to blog about a common theme and share links. This time I was included in the fun, with a tourism theme. See the entries at Deas' blog.

gegege golden week

BTW, if you want, Deas, you can include this in the blog Matsuri.