Money and enlightenment

Thought aggregate post go!
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Talked to the guy that handles my mutual funds. Right now they are worth less than what I payed by a bit (I had made hundreds on them after a short time last year). Thanks US economy. He recommended something about money markets or something. I dunno. It's more complicated. How to not be poor should be a mandatory college class, instead of that university living class most people took. Still, thinking of shipping some money back since the yen is relatively up. Don't exactly know if it's worth it, cause I may need that money if I decide to go to language school in Japan.
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Was talking with teachers about reincarnation at lunch today and if you change sexes and whatnot. Most of them believe in it, but are not too versed on how it happens. I mentioned a Buddhist belief that there are five parts to the soul, to which one replied, "sounds like Dragonball!"
Then I tried to describe a bodhisatva, and how maybe they don't get reincarnated (?)
teach: "Oh that's too bad"
me: "Well, the thing is life is hard, so you wanna escape"
teach :"Oh yes, there are things in life that are no good. Like bad movies."
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Saw a boy's notebook today. On it, he had written "Engelsh 英語."

Teacher of the year

I post too many videos. People in power have noticed me though...

Best shiritori ever

In this vid, you will see the results of a game of shiritori (a last-letter word matching game) when you put visuals with it. Keep in mind saying "n" loses one the game.

Local talent

I have a subscription to vids labeled Saga. Recently this guy's video popped up. Here are a couple of em.
I need to visit that castle, come to think of it...

ウエターギャッグ〜〜

It's cheesy, but I can understand it and that is what counts, cause my readers are probably around the same level.
Nah, don't like that? Here's an English language video then. I sometimes get really worried that no one understands my idosynawesomatic humor...

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.

Life is like a video game in Japan

Today I didn't feel like going to my usual doctors, which are a drive away. But I have a cold in it's third week (yes, I have been properly having vitamin C and zinc, so don't anyone be a-lecturing me), so I decided to walk to an office by the fishmonger's place.
My doc was a small, ancient, close-talking hunchback; looked like Igor. Cute! I felt sorry for this place, while ambivalently concerned what they would do for my health and bemused by the circumstances. It took him five minutes to do my blood pressure.
"It's pretty low. Are you stressed at work?" This is pretty standard doctor small talk really.
"Uh, that could be it..."
Then I got tons of pills of various kinds, which is what I really want at this point. Throw pills at it! Actually, the Dr. Mario way does seem to be the Japanese way, so not a surprise the game exists.

Gyaaaah

You know that gunky feeling you get sometimes and you know it's not gonna be a bad day? Yeah I've had a couple weeks now like that.

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?"

Gongsun

There lived years ago the beautiful Gongsun,
Who, dancing with her dagger, drew from all four quarters
An audience like mountains lost among themselves.
Heaven and earth moved back and forth, following her motions,
Which were bright as when the Archer shot the nine suns down the sky
And rapid as angels before the wings of dragons.
She began like a thunderbolt, venting its anger,
And ended like the shining calm of rivers and the sea....
But vanished are those red lips and those pearly sleeves;
And none but this one pupil bears the perfume of her fame,
This beauty from Lingying, at the Town of the White God,
Dancing still and singing in the old blithe way.
And while we reply to each other's questions,
We sigh together, saddened by changes that have come.
There were eight thousand ladies in the late Emperor's court,
But none could dance the dagger-dance like Lady Gongsun.
...Fifty years have passed, like the turning of a palm;
Wind and dust, filling the world, obscure the Imperial House.
Instead of the Pear-Garden Players, who have blown by like a mist,
There are one or two girl-musicians now-trying to charm the cold Sun.
There are man-size trees by the Emperor's Golden Tomb
I seem to hear dead grasses rattling on the cliffs of Qutang.
...The song is done, the slow string and quick pipe have ceased.
At the height of joy, sorrow comes with the eastern moon rising.
And I, a poor old man, not knowing where to go,
Must harden my feet on the lone hills, toward sickness and despair.

Tang Shi III. 1. (64)
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So word on the street is they won't have an ALT after me. Which almost certainly means I don't get a fourth year; I have been budgeted out. Laid off, despite the many non-native ALTs and a looming Elementary English curriculum. This is unofficial as of yet; I'll have to confirm the rumor. In the mean time, I am a poor old man, not knowing where to go.
Opportunity is scary.

Tokyo...

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I've never completely watched It's A Wonderful Life, but now at least I've heard it.

test embedding of nikoniko video

Try the link and let me know if you can see this without an account. edit: thanks for the input. I will probably make a vid about this site.

Dear neighbor, stop trying to raise my cats, please

Okay, I know you are lonely and retired, old man. But you have been feeding my cats something that makes them sick for a while. Like they were puking and diareaing around before I left for Tokyo, and they are still doing it. And the main x factor is your doting self, cause I haven't changed brands of food.
And the other day, when I whistled for the cats and they came running from your yard as usual, I got curious. So I went and looked and saw that you have made a house for them in your yard. That is creepy. Don't do that.

So I guess I will say something like that tomorrow.
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A while back I tried to start a language-exchange blog with my now-ex-girlfriend. It didn't work, because she doesn't care about anything having to do with me (a wonder we broke up, huh). Anyhoo, that system was primitive anyways. Lang-8, however, is beautiful. Line by line corrections, internationalization up the wazzo, and tons of Japanese people willing to grammatically show me what's what. And who knows, maybe even a place to find a new girlfriend *wags eyebrows*. No? Okay. Anyways, if you sign up let me know and we can be friends, but please don't correct my posts unless you are native level.

Karl Pilkington

I hope everyone has had a chance to watch the EXTRAS Christmas special. For that matter, I hope they have had a chance to watch the show period. Brilliant stuff from the team the brought us the original British The Office.
Anyways, found out that they also put out podcasts and started in radio long before the shows. The podcast is officially the most downloaded on Earth in fact. So last night I discovered it and listened and laughed myself silly.
Also, me and the "star" of the show seem to have a little bit of similar quirkiness when speaking. From the wiki on it: "Karl's idiolect... [includes] correct English that has been misspoken (eg. 'squoze')."

Crotchety old man

I always thought I would get more chilled out with age, but I keep noticing people really push my buttons the longer I live. It's like I am slowly becoming more cognizant of the fact that everyone is freaking crazy. And that awareness drives me nuts.
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No classes today. Just facetime at the office. Have I mentioned Japan is crazy too? Oh well, always a chance to study... I just hope my cold is of the same strain as the other sick people here so I don't catch something new.

Secret Santa: a perk of being a youtubelebrity

Something to worry the mothers out there