J100 Tuesday July 31st
I have had a revelation! By making my blog as one of my homepages, and thus a web site that Firefox will bring up whenever I open the program, I am given incentive to make posts! It is that much harder for me to shirk my stenographic duties!
I just used the word 'stenographic'! That makes me happy!
Today was a good day. A beautiful, sunny day that was deliciously cool thanks to a constant, pleasant ocean breeze. I upped my morning exercise routine to new heights, and felt the burn of progress. Oh, how sweet it is. I bought a new belt yesterday, and tried it out today. It works like a charm! My weight loss has had unforeseen consequences, primarily those dealing with my wardrobe no longer being tight in places essential to overcome gravity's constant tug. In layman's terms, my pants are all now spectacularly loose.
My old belt was not doing the trick, so I invested in a Japanese model. There are very, very few fat Japanese men, and thus the belt selection is...not adequate for one such as I. Even though I am shedding weight, my overall size is greater than most Japanese people. The belt I have is tight, but serviceable. Huzzah.
Today was a nice day at work. I had only 3 classes in total, thanks to cancellations, and all of them were in the evening. I spent the day organizing materials for classes, eating lunch, and eking a few minutes of Pokemon out of my bone-dry DS battery. The little soldier is currently plugged into the wall. My school has the annoying tendency to collect and amplify the ambient heat of the day, so despite the pleasant outdoors, some of the school's rooms, mine in particular, were not conducive to a comfortable learning environment. Luckily, however, I was able to use one of the rooms that had no windows, which was a few degrees cooler, and thus survivable.
In all, today was like any other. Peaceful, enjoyable. Work is work, but it is not insufferably boring or monotonous. I have nice co-workers and good students. My lessons are fun and engaging. Honestly, it's more like running a game of Dungeons & Dragons than anything else. It's equal parts improv theater and education. You have to be very flexible and adaptive; if the student isn't getting the point you're trying to make, getting frustrated doesn't solve anything. You have to approach it from another angle. That's the part of my job I like.
Still, my summer holiday is coming up soon. Next week will be a half-week; Thursday the 9th is the first day of my week-long break. I'm contemplating going to Kyoto or Okinawa. Anywhere that isn't this part of Japan, really. Hitachi is wonderful and I love it, but I want to get out and enjoy the other bits of Japan, too. I'm only here for 8 more months, give or take a week or two, and I need to enjoy as much of it as I can. I don't plan on any breakneck tours or anything like that; I'll still be doing things at my own pace. Still, I want to get out of town and see this amazing country from a few different angles.
I think I like this new format. Forcing (inasmuch as I actually am) myself to write every day will be a good creative outlet.
Speaking of which...
*eyes newly-acquired paints and birthday brushes*
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Monday, July 30, 2007
Postcount, INCREMENT!!!!!!!!!!
J93 Tuesday July 24th
Back to work after zombie weekend. Counting the minutes until I could get back to the book. After an enjoyable day of work, I dashed home, buying dinner from Lawsons, and savoring the last quarter of Harry Potter book 7. Delicious. I finished it that night.
J94 Wednesday July 25th
Busy busy busy! 6 classes! Doom! One of my students bought me a compass....for absolutely no reason at all. It's on my keyring now :)
J95 Thursday July 26th
Light day! Only 3 classes....very very odd. Pokemon: Diamond continues to be awesome. I've finally begun to burn the incense I bought two weeks ago. Delicious smoke fills my apartment.
J96 Friday July 27th
Birthday eve! Another light day, with only 4 classes. Attend K's birthday celebration at Second Earth. Came for the shakes (vanilla!) but stayed for the soccer. The Japan/Saudi Arabia match was on a big projected screen, and most of the Gang were there, enjoying the show. Or not, I should say. It wasn't a very exciting game; both sides were not very aggressive. Came home after the game. Realized with glacial swiftness that I need to clean up my apartment something awful.
J97 Saturday July 28th
Happy birthday to me! 25 years and some 14 hours after the stroke of midnight on July 28th, 1982, my mother succeeded in expelling me from her womb. Thanks, Mom! You rock!
In other news, I got a bit of a birthday present this day, 'cause one of my students canceled. My private lesson, one where I just talk with my student for an hour, was canceled. I only had 6 classes on Saturday as a result, which was blessed. Did a really good interview, too, and landed a big contract for a new student.
After work, I attended G-Bros. The birthday tradition at the Bros is to have a champaign bottle opened so that your backside is struck by the cork. I participated with a grin, as I have so often. It wasn't that bad, to be honest; it's a ritual and I got delicious champaign for free out of the deal, so I'm not one to complain. After drinks, karaoke was had. We went to the place near(ish) my apartment. We sang for a few hours, belting out everything from Chumbawumba to Scottish bands I'd never heard of.
When I got home, I found a slip in my mail box saying a package had arrived for me. It was my birthday package from Dad and E.J. I planned to pick it up the next day.
J98 Sunday July 29th
Super-lazy day! Slept in nice and late. Found an interesting group-work project on one of the message boards I frequent and got into a chat room discussion with the organizers. I wound up making the world map for the game, and the project's still going strong. Don't want to jinx it, though :)
Dad's package arrived! I was going to go to the post office to pick it up, but they sent it to my place after all. Inside was a variety of stuff; toothpaste and deodorant (both of which I was dangerously low on) and a TON of crafting supplies. Beads, line, leather thongs, waxed line. Glass, wood, bone. Large pieces of leather, cured but uncut. A wonderful card, very much sent from my father. But two things truly stood out in my mind. A package of paintbrushes, which echoed unbelievably with an urge to paint that has been growing for weeks. And a small ziplock baggie of Perdido Bay seashells, driftwood, and sand.
I held this last item for a long time, thinking of the distances these items had traveled. My brother and father had picked these elements from the Florida sand themselves. The sand from the other side of the planet was in my hands. I was, literally, holding a piece of home in my hands. It was a very...intense...moment. In a good way :)
Around 6 or so I headed down to the station. The Gang was assembling to check out a fireworks festival in Hitachi Port, a small town a few stops south of Hitachi proper. I met up with Toni and the new Amity teacher, Erin. Erin had literally gotten to Hitachi two hours prior. We caught the train, all the while educating our newest companion with all the vital knowledge we had accumulated over our time here. We being Toni and I; everyone else got rides with Dan, who has recently acquired a car and the license to drive it.
We took a city bus to the fireworks festival after getting off the train. We were let off near the waterfront, passing by a neat concrete canal. We began the festival perched atop a small hill, but found a large, sandy expanse of waterfront (possibly dockside) land which offered a better view of the display. As soon as we arrived the show began, and we were delighted by an hour or so of fireworks display. It was gorgeous. The explosives were bright and colorful, mostly red, blue, and green. They were also super-close. You could feel the firework's burst as you watched.
The whole time, a powerful wind was blowing. The sandy seaside became windswept, and I worried for my eyes and my camera; the grit and sand blown by the wind stung my exposed skin like nettles. I weathered the winds, luckily.
Once the show was over, my camera taking minute after minute of silent video, we tried to scope out the festival itself. Alas, crowds were immense, and a storm was on the rise. We three made our way back to the bus stop, pausing to admire some greasers as they line danced in the gathering rain. In the harsh, too-white glare of an industrial day lamp. It was poetic.
We made it to the bus stop just before the vehicle left, but were subject to the longest bus ride in history. Nations rose and fell as we inched our way to the train station. Poor Erin was exhausted, slumping into a half sleep while Toni and I geeked out. She is a black belt in Shotokan, and we delighted in martial arts discussion (amongst other topics. many, other topics)
When we got back to Hitachi, after a short but nice train ride, Erin decided to head for home. We brought her there, to make sure she made it, and then Toni and I went out for dinner at her favorite ramen place. It's on Heiwa street, just after G-Bros. Miso ramen. Simple, but delicious.
I got home and had a quiet evening, relaxing after the day's excitement. Grabbed a nice shower, and resolved to clean the place the next day.
J99 Monday July 30th
The next day.
Worked more on the online project in the morning. Toni mentioned going to the movies the previous day, and I agreed happily. A thunderstorm sprung up, but nothing would get in my way of getting out of town. I vacuumed during the morning and brought in the laundry before the storm soaked my clothes again. Toni and I met up at 2, but had to wait for the next southbound local train, which departed at 2:45. We talked shop most of the trip, which was nice. Also movies. And books.
We got to the theater a little later than we'd like. We were planning on seeing Ratatoulie, but the showing was Japanese-dubbed. We settled on Harry Potter, which Toni had seen, but wanted to see again, and I had yet to see. I bought a hot dog and a coke from the concession, an indulgence to be sure.
I really liked the movie. Very well done, very cinematic. It feels much more like a movie, rather a series of scenes from the books put to film. Daniel Radcliffe stole the show; his acting was so very well nuanced. He's growing up to be quite the talented actor.
Our trip back was about movie music, always a fun topic. We both grabbed a quick snack from Lawsons upon returning to Hitachi, and then went our separate ways at Ito Yokado. I was in search of paints and paper for my brushes. I found both watercolor and acrylic paints, and some nice A3 sized paper. I also bought a big sketch book, lacking anything that can be utilized for such a purpose. Art supplies are very easily found in Ito Yokado, which I marvel at.
I walked for home through the light drizzle, a paltry misting compared to the downpour of the afternoon's thunderstorm. I picked up a few groceries at Food Shop, coming home to my messy apartment. I had bought, along with my paints, a toilet brush. Let it be known that I am an honest man, but also a single one. My apartment is (and at that time still was) fit for human habitation, but not a very pleasant kind. I put away my groceries and set to work.
I cleaned the toilet and my shower. Combined with the day's earlier vacuuming, my apartment looks like a million freaking bucks.
The rest of the evening has been spent relaxing, cooking, making, and eating rice balls, and writing this entry. I realize these are massive posts, but I needed to get them down before I forgot them. I will post more often. Realize that change is difficult for me (says the guy who moved to Japan) but that it will happen. One need only look at my daily exercise regime to see such. Watch out, America. I'm coming back fit!
Back to work after zombie weekend. Counting the minutes until I could get back to the book. After an enjoyable day of work, I dashed home, buying dinner from Lawsons, and savoring the last quarter of Harry Potter book 7. Delicious. I finished it that night.
J94 Wednesday July 25th
Busy busy busy! 6 classes! Doom! One of my students bought me a compass....for absolutely no reason at all. It's on my keyring now :)
J95 Thursday July 26th
Light day! Only 3 classes....very very odd. Pokemon: Diamond continues to be awesome. I've finally begun to burn the incense I bought two weeks ago. Delicious smoke fills my apartment.
J96 Friday July 27th
Birthday eve! Another light day, with only 4 classes. Attend K's birthday celebration at Second Earth. Came for the shakes (vanilla!) but stayed for the soccer. The Japan/Saudi Arabia match was on a big projected screen, and most of the Gang were there, enjoying the show. Or not, I should say. It wasn't a very exciting game; both sides were not very aggressive. Came home after the game. Realized with glacial swiftness that I need to clean up my apartment something awful.
J97 Saturday July 28th
Happy birthday to me! 25 years and some 14 hours after the stroke of midnight on July 28th, 1982, my mother succeeded in expelling me from her womb. Thanks, Mom! You rock!
In other news, I got a bit of a birthday present this day, 'cause one of my students canceled. My private lesson, one where I just talk with my student for an hour, was canceled. I only had 6 classes on Saturday as a result, which was blessed. Did a really good interview, too, and landed a big contract for a new student.
After work, I attended G-Bros. The birthday tradition at the Bros is to have a champaign bottle opened so that your backside is struck by the cork. I participated with a grin, as I have so often. It wasn't that bad, to be honest; it's a ritual and I got delicious champaign for free out of the deal, so I'm not one to complain. After drinks, karaoke was had. We went to the place near(ish) my apartment. We sang for a few hours, belting out everything from Chumbawumba to Scottish bands I'd never heard of.
When I got home, I found a slip in my mail box saying a package had arrived for me. It was my birthday package from Dad and E.J. I planned to pick it up the next day.
J98 Sunday July 29th
Super-lazy day! Slept in nice and late. Found an interesting group-work project on one of the message boards I frequent and got into a chat room discussion with the organizers. I wound up making the world map for the game, and the project's still going strong. Don't want to jinx it, though :)
Dad's package arrived! I was going to go to the post office to pick it up, but they sent it to my place after all. Inside was a variety of stuff; toothpaste and deodorant (both of which I was dangerously low on) and a TON of crafting supplies. Beads, line, leather thongs, waxed line. Glass, wood, bone. Large pieces of leather, cured but uncut. A wonderful card, very much sent from my father. But two things truly stood out in my mind. A package of paintbrushes, which echoed unbelievably with an urge to paint that has been growing for weeks. And a small ziplock baggie of Perdido Bay seashells, driftwood, and sand.
I held this last item for a long time, thinking of the distances these items had traveled. My brother and father had picked these elements from the Florida sand themselves. The sand from the other side of the planet was in my hands. I was, literally, holding a piece of home in my hands. It was a very...intense...moment. In a good way :)
Around 6 or so I headed down to the station. The Gang was assembling to check out a fireworks festival in Hitachi Port, a small town a few stops south of Hitachi proper. I met up with Toni and the new Amity teacher, Erin. Erin had literally gotten to Hitachi two hours prior. We caught the train, all the while educating our newest companion with all the vital knowledge we had accumulated over our time here. We being Toni and I; everyone else got rides with Dan, who has recently acquired a car and the license to drive it.
We took a city bus to the fireworks festival after getting off the train. We were let off near the waterfront, passing by a neat concrete canal. We began the festival perched atop a small hill, but found a large, sandy expanse of waterfront (possibly dockside) land which offered a better view of the display. As soon as we arrived the show began, and we were delighted by an hour or so of fireworks display. It was gorgeous. The explosives were bright and colorful, mostly red, blue, and green. They were also super-close. You could feel the firework's burst as you watched.
The whole time, a powerful wind was blowing. The sandy seaside became windswept, and I worried for my eyes and my camera; the grit and sand blown by the wind stung my exposed skin like nettles. I weathered the winds, luckily.
Once the show was over, my camera taking minute after minute of silent video, we tried to scope out the festival itself. Alas, crowds were immense, and a storm was on the rise. We three made our way back to the bus stop, pausing to admire some greasers as they line danced in the gathering rain. In the harsh, too-white glare of an industrial day lamp. It was poetic.
We made it to the bus stop just before the vehicle left, but were subject to the longest bus ride in history. Nations rose and fell as we inched our way to the train station. Poor Erin was exhausted, slumping into a half sleep while Toni and I geeked out. She is a black belt in Shotokan, and we delighted in martial arts discussion (amongst other topics. many, other topics)
When we got back to Hitachi, after a short but nice train ride, Erin decided to head for home. We brought her there, to make sure she made it, and then Toni and I went out for dinner at her favorite ramen place. It's on Heiwa street, just after G-Bros. Miso ramen. Simple, but delicious.
I got home and had a quiet evening, relaxing after the day's excitement. Grabbed a nice shower, and resolved to clean the place the next day.
J99 Monday July 30th
The next day.
Worked more on the online project in the morning. Toni mentioned going to the movies the previous day, and I agreed happily. A thunderstorm sprung up, but nothing would get in my way of getting out of town. I vacuumed during the morning and brought in the laundry before the storm soaked my clothes again. Toni and I met up at 2, but had to wait for the next southbound local train, which departed at 2:45. We talked shop most of the trip, which was nice. Also movies. And books.
We got to the theater a little later than we'd like. We were planning on seeing Ratatoulie, but the showing was Japanese-dubbed. We settled on Harry Potter, which Toni had seen, but wanted to see again, and I had yet to see. I bought a hot dog and a coke from the concession, an indulgence to be sure.
I really liked the movie. Very well done, very cinematic. It feels much more like a movie, rather a series of scenes from the books put to film. Daniel Radcliffe stole the show; his acting was so very well nuanced. He's growing up to be quite the talented actor.
Our trip back was about movie music, always a fun topic. We both grabbed a quick snack from Lawsons upon returning to Hitachi, and then went our separate ways at Ito Yokado. I was in search of paints and paper for my brushes. I found both watercolor and acrylic paints, and some nice A3 sized paper. I also bought a big sketch book, lacking anything that can be utilized for such a purpose. Art supplies are very easily found in Ito Yokado, which I marvel at.
I walked for home through the light drizzle, a paltry misting compared to the downpour of the afternoon's thunderstorm. I picked up a few groceries at Food Shop, coming home to my messy apartment. I had bought, along with my paints, a toilet brush. Let it be known that I am an honest man, but also a single one. My apartment is (and at that time still was) fit for human habitation, but not a very pleasant kind. I put away my groceries and set to work.
I cleaned the toilet and my shower. Combined with the day's earlier vacuuming, my apartment looks like a million freaking bucks.
The rest of the evening has been spent relaxing, cooking, making, and eating rice balls, and writing this entry. I realize these are massive posts, but I needed to get them down before I forgot them. I will post more often. Realize that change is difficult for me (says the guy who moved to Japan) but that it will happen. One need only look at my daily exercise regime to see such. Watch out, America. I'm coming back fit!
that is IT. I am POSTING.
J86 Tuesday July 17th
Everyone in Hitachi is talking about the earthquake. Little damage, and so far none of my coworkers or students have had any injuries or deaths in the family. Thank goodness.
J87 Wednesday July 18th
Same old same old. Busy day. Talked to Dad a little. Says that he will have E.J. over for a while, and that they'll be sending me a package for my birthday. Sounds awesome!
J88 Thursday July 19th
My pokemon collection grows. I've taken to playing it during my office hours, given that I now have some free time in the heat of the day.
J89 Friday July 20th
Josh invited me to hang, but I felt really drained. Today's Genie's (one of the Nova teachers) year anniversary in Japan, but I'm so wiped I didn't want to attend. I decided to drop by G-Bros for five minutes to give my congratulations and leave. Josh was there, with two of his own coworkers. I told him my plan, and he understood completely.
We had a short hang-out session wherein he told me of Beats of Rage. It's an open-source programming project where one can download (and add to) a side-scrolling beat-em-up ala Double Dragon or Final Fight. Decided to investigate later.
J90 Saturday July 21st
Busy busy Saturday! But, no biggie. I'm a pro, now. A cool, collected individual well-tuned to his students. No repeats of last Saturday's stomach distress, thank goodness. Managed to get an interesting article about a mysterious person in Japan.
The short-short version: a person (or persons) has been going around leaving envelopes of 10,000 yen bills the men's bathrooms of municipal and government buildings. Every envelope comes with a hand-written letter, in formal kanji, that bids the finder take only one bill, and use it to absolve past sins or further one's spiritual enlightenment and fulfillment. This has been happening for about a year, give or take a month or two.
Now for the weird parts. One, the handwriting and grammar structure are very unique. They appear to be from the hand of a very old-fashioned, religiously educated man. The grammar is very formal and has structures only used by members of Buddhist clergy. Furthermore, the handwriting is getting worse. Shaky and sloppy. Mr. X, as he is called, is dieing.
Additionally, the envelopes have been found everywhere from Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan, to Okinawa, the southernmost island chain. Envelopes have been found thousands of miles apart, but separated in time by mere days. Mr. X is logging a lot of frequent flier miles.
No one knows who he is. Is he real? Is he even a he? Is this money legit, or is it from illegal gambling or dealing? Is this an act of compassion, or a loyalty test? Very mysterious.
Anyway! Saturday night was to be very fun, indeed. Also, tiring. Went to G-Bros, as is my custom. After a big dinner (I was super-hungry) we all went to the beach to set off fireworks again. You can buy really good (and really bad; be careful) fireworks everywhere in Japan. We brought a couple of sacks of fireworks to the beach and proceeded to battle the elements to light them. A heavy mist had sprung up and was blown by strong winds. Nevertheless, we persevered, and were rewarded with a delightful light show of our own making.
After we'd fired everything off, it was getting late. Some of the others wanted to check out a haunted house. I decided to accompany them. I lugged my bike, along with Mike (from Amity, my company's sister school), K, Greg (the teacher I replaced) and M-sensei, my coworker. We crisscrossed Hitachi, finally finding ourselves at the foot of a steep mountain road that lead way up into the hills. Predawn light filled the sky with a misty azure light as we ascended, seeing many beautiful, silent vistas as we climbed.
We passed the ruins of what we assumed (and later confirmed to be) the haunted dormitory. We made it to a massive hillside graveyard on our descent, after climbing to the end of the road, and were greeted with a beautiful predawn view of the city. I took a few pictures, some of which contain Orbs, thought to be paranormal evidence of ghosts.
We climbed down around the edges of the graveyard, stopping to ring a massive brass bell and take pictures of a HUGE spider. We ascended the next mountain spur via a tall staircase, having seen a mysterious, citadel of a building at its top. We found it to be a government building of some sort. We rested at the top of this hill, and then decided to head for our respective homes.
I got home, covered in mud and grass and bug bites, my feet aching. I shucked my muddy clothes and took a shower. I collapsed in bed, drawing the shades tight, and sleeping. It was 7AM Sunday morning.
J91 Sunday July 22nd
I was a zombie all day. Didn't move much. Didn't eat much. Just kind of stared into space. Was super-tired. Got out long enough to see if I could buy the newest Harry Potter book, but was met with failure. I got back and gave Amazon a spin. Mind you, this was the first time I'd ever used Amazon. Realize that, for all my love of technology, I can be a luddite sometimes. I was impressed.
I ordered the book, in English, next-day delivery, cash on delivery. Totally sweet. I spent the rest of the night just vegging.
J92 Monday July 23rd
I wanted to go out, but I couldn't because I had to wait on my book. So, I stayed in again. All day. It wasn't, bad, though; gave me a chance to recharge a bit for the upcoming week. At last, at 8PM, my book arrived. I paid the delivery man and began to devour the book. Worry not, for I abhor spoilers as Evil does the Good Book. I got almost 3/4 of the way done before I slept.
Everyone in Hitachi is talking about the earthquake. Little damage, and so far none of my coworkers or students have had any injuries or deaths in the family. Thank goodness.
J87 Wednesday July 18th
Same old same old. Busy day. Talked to Dad a little. Says that he will have E.J. over for a while, and that they'll be sending me a package for my birthday. Sounds awesome!
J88 Thursday July 19th
My pokemon collection grows. I've taken to playing it during my office hours, given that I now have some free time in the heat of the day.
J89 Friday July 20th
Josh invited me to hang, but I felt really drained. Today's Genie's (one of the Nova teachers) year anniversary in Japan, but I'm so wiped I didn't want to attend. I decided to drop by G-Bros for five minutes to give my congratulations and leave. Josh was there, with two of his own coworkers. I told him my plan, and he understood completely.
We had a short hang-out session wherein he told me of Beats of Rage. It's an open-source programming project where one can download (and add to) a side-scrolling beat-em-up ala Double Dragon or Final Fight. Decided to investigate later.
J90 Saturday July 21st
Busy busy Saturday! But, no biggie. I'm a pro, now. A cool, collected individual well-tuned to his students. No repeats of last Saturday's stomach distress, thank goodness. Managed to get an interesting article about a mysterious person in Japan.
The short-short version: a person (or persons) has been going around leaving envelopes of 10,000 yen bills the men's bathrooms of municipal and government buildings. Every envelope comes with a hand-written letter, in formal kanji, that bids the finder take only one bill, and use it to absolve past sins or further one's spiritual enlightenment and fulfillment. This has been happening for about a year, give or take a month or two.
Now for the weird parts. One, the handwriting and grammar structure are very unique. They appear to be from the hand of a very old-fashioned, religiously educated man. The grammar is very formal and has structures only used by members of Buddhist clergy. Furthermore, the handwriting is getting worse. Shaky and sloppy. Mr. X, as he is called, is dieing.
Additionally, the envelopes have been found everywhere from Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan, to Okinawa, the southernmost island chain. Envelopes have been found thousands of miles apart, but separated in time by mere days. Mr. X is logging a lot of frequent flier miles.
No one knows who he is. Is he real? Is he even a he? Is this money legit, or is it from illegal gambling or dealing? Is this an act of compassion, or a loyalty test? Very mysterious.
Anyway! Saturday night was to be very fun, indeed. Also, tiring. Went to G-Bros, as is my custom. After a big dinner (I was super-hungry) we all went to the beach to set off fireworks again. You can buy really good (and really bad; be careful) fireworks everywhere in Japan. We brought a couple of sacks of fireworks to the beach and proceeded to battle the elements to light them. A heavy mist had sprung up and was blown by strong winds. Nevertheless, we persevered, and were rewarded with a delightful light show of our own making.
After we'd fired everything off, it was getting late. Some of the others wanted to check out a haunted house. I decided to accompany them. I lugged my bike, along with Mike (from Amity, my company's sister school), K, Greg (the teacher I replaced) and M-sensei, my coworker. We crisscrossed Hitachi, finally finding ourselves at the foot of a steep mountain road that lead way up into the hills. Predawn light filled the sky with a misty azure light as we ascended, seeing many beautiful, silent vistas as we climbed.
We passed the ruins of what we assumed (and later confirmed to be) the haunted dormitory. We made it to a massive hillside graveyard on our descent, after climbing to the end of the road, and were greeted with a beautiful predawn view of the city. I took a few pictures, some of which contain Orbs, thought to be paranormal evidence of ghosts.
We climbed down around the edges of the graveyard, stopping to ring a massive brass bell and take pictures of a HUGE spider. We ascended the next mountain spur via a tall staircase, having seen a mysterious, citadel of a building at its top. We found it to be a government building of some sort. We rested at the top of this hill, and then decided to head for our respective homes.
I got home, covered in mud and grass and bug bites, my feet aching. I shucked my muddy clothes and took a shower. I collapsed in bed, drawing the shades tight, and sleeping. It was 7AM Sunday morning.
J91 Sunday July 22nd
I was a zombie all day. Didn't move much. Didn't eat much. Just kind of stared into space. Was super-tired. Got out long enough to see if I could buy the newest Harry Potter book, but was met with failure. I got back and gave Amazon a spin. Mind you, this was the first time I'd ever used Amazon. Realize that, for all my love of technology, I can be a luddite sometimes. I was impressed.
I ordered the book, in English, next-day delivery, cash on delivery. Totally sweet. I spent the rest of the night just vegging.
J92 Monday July 23rd
I wanted to go out, but I couldn't because I had to wait on my book. So, I stayed in again. All day. It wasn't, bad, though; gave me a chance to recharge a bit for the upcoming week. At last, at 8PM, my book arrived. I paid the delivery man and began to devour the book. Worry not, for I abhor spoilers as Evil does the Good Book. I got almost 3/4 of the way done before I slept.
Friday, July 27, 2007
GAH
Do you ever have one of those weeks where you do nothing, yet have no free time? Yeah.
Updates to come. I promise. In the meantime, happy birthday to me :)
I'm a quarter-century old!
Updates to come. I promise. In the meantime, happy birthday to me :)
I'm a quarter-century old!
Monday, July 23, 2007
Shake, rattle, and roll
J85 Monday July 16th
Monday was beautiful, despite the rain-soaked monotony of the previous day. All the pollutants had been swept from the sky by the wind and rain, and there were only a few clouds in the sky. It was gorgeous.
In the morning, whilst making my Internet rounds, I felt the first of the day's earthquakes. It wasn't much here in Hitachi, but elsewhere such was not the case. Several dead, hundreds wounded, and many, many houses leveled by the quake. My heart goes out to those struck by this earthquake, for to them it truly was a disaster.
However, uninformed as I was, I went about my day as normal. K and I met up around 2 to have Brush Club. Neither of us were too into it, given the beauty of the day, and we wound up shopping for the next few hours. We trundled up to Sakura City to investigate their 1000 yen shop, which had been closed down. Next to it, though, was a crafts store. For those of you who know me well, you know that crafting has been a favorite hobby of mine for quite some time. You may also imagine my poor Japanese skills making finding such a place difficult, if not impossible. So, sitting before me was a store filled with things that give me a tactile sense of joy.
I was a very happy boy.
After perusing there for a while, and hitting Sakura City's 100 yen store, we went back to the Ito Yokado food court for the Japanese Lesson. The crowd was small; only myself, K, Matt (the newish Nova teacher) and Bastion (A gentleman-researcher at Ibaraki University from...Slovania, I think? Awesome accent).
We pulled from a book I had brought with me, a grammar book that one can use to teach one's self Japanese. It was quite useful; we'd been running out of concrete linguistics to study in the Lesson as of late, and the group was starting to lose focus.
After the lesson we all parted ways. I myself headed back home to relax and play some Neverwinter Nights. I'd installed it the day before to help assuage my boredom, but repeated crashes and other frustrating bugs turned it into an unhappy experience. My intellect was stimulated, though, and I tackled the problem with renewed vigor. A few software upgrades and some quick prayers later, it seemed to work.
That evening, my Mom called to check up on me. She had heard about the quake, and wanted to make sure I wasn't under a building somewhere. I told her that I was fine, after which she informed me of the quake's damage. I told her I was ok, and that I loved her.
Then, not 10 minutes after I'd hung up, we felt two more earthquakes. These were stronger than the one this morning by a factor of two, easily. My entire apartment building wobbled, this time, and my toaster oven skidded off its perch atop my microwave (which is atop my minifridge, a perilous pile of potable preparation, I know, but space is at a premium here).
The first one was so strong I decided to pack a quick emergency kit. My backpack was hastily packed with some extra clothes, my journal, my lighter (always with me) my hankerchief, and a few other elements necessary should the world radically shift into a Mad Max-style post-apocalyptic wasteland. The second quake came shortly thereafter, but was much smaller.
Nothing happened afterwards, to my relief, but my emergency kit was next to my bed all through the night.
I got to bed around 2AM, as is my custom.
This morning, there was an earthquake. Not big from where I was, just an extended wobble of my apartment, but enough to be felt. I heard that it caused quite a bit of damage elsewhere, though, which does make me sad.
Monday was beautiful
Monday was beautiful, despite the rain-soaked monotony of the previous day. All the pollutants had been swept from the sky by the wind and rain, and there were only a few clouds in the sky. It was gorgeous.
In the morning, whilst making my Internet rounds, I felt the first of the day's earthquakes. It wasn't much here in Hitachi, but elsewhere such was not the case. Several dead, hundreds wounded, and many, many houses leveled by the quake. My heart goes out to those struck by this earthquake, for to them it truly was a disaster.
However, uninformed as I was, I went about my day as normal. K and I met up around 2 to have Brush Club. Neither of us were too into it, given the beauty of the day, and we wound up shopping for the next few hours. We trundled up to Sakura City to investigate their 1000 yen shop, which had been closed down. Next to it, though, was a crafts store. For those of you who know me well, you know that crafting has been a favorite hobby of mine for quite some time. You may also imagine my poor Japanese skills making finding such a place difficult, if not impossible. So, sitting before me was a store filled with things that give me a tactile sense of joy.
I was a very happy boy.
After perusing there for a while, and hitting Sakura City's 100 yen store, we went back to the Ito Yokado food court for the Japanese Lesson. The crowd was small; only myself, K, Matt (the newish Nova teacher) and Bastion (A gentleman-researcher at Ibaraki University from...Slovania, I think? Awesome accent).
We pulled from a book I had brought with me, a grammar book that one can use to teach one's self Japanese. It was quite useful; we'd been running out of concrete linguistics to study in the Lesson as of late, and the group was starting to lose focus.
After the lesson we all parted ways. I myself headed back home to relax and play some Neverwinter Nights. I'd installed it the day before to help assuage my boredom, but repeated crashes and other frustrating bugs turned it into an unhappy experience. My intellect was stimulated, though, and I tackled the problem with renewed vigor. A few software upgrades and some quick prayers later, it seemed to work.
That evening, my Mom called to check up on me. She had heard about the quake, and wanted to make sure I wasn't under a building somewhere. I told her that I was fine, after which she informed me of the quake's damage. I told her I was ok, and that I loved her.
Then, not 10 minutes after I'd hung up, we felt two more earthquakes. These were stronger than the one this morning by a factor of two, easily. My entire apartment building wobbled, this time, and my toaster oven skidded off its perch atop my microwave (which is atop my minifridge, a perilous pile of potable preparation, I know, but space is at a premium here).
The first one was so strong I decided to pack a quick emergency kit. My backpack was hastily packed with some extra clothes, my journal, my lighter (always with me) my hankerchief, and a few other elements necessary should the world radically shift into a Mad Max-style post-apocalyptic wasteland. The second quake came shortly thereafter, but was much smaller.
Nothing happened afterwards, to my relief, but my emergency kit was next to my bed all through the night.
I got to bed around 2AM, as is my custom.
This morning, there was an earthquake. Not big from where I was, just an extended wobble of my apartment, but enough to be felt. I heard that it caused quite a bit of damage elsewhere, though, which does make me sad.
Monday was beautiful
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Stir craaaaazy
J84 Sunday, July 15th 2007
Immediate info: there's a typhoon knocking on my door right now. I'm fine, no worries about being hurt by the storm. The mountains are absorbing the brunt of the storm's force, so Hitachi will be fine.
I've been going a bit stir-crazy, though. I ventured out during a 'light' period to grab food and drink. I'm well-stocked now, but I don't think the storm will last more than a day or two. I want to do *something* and I'm driving myself up the walls thinking of what to do. What I wouldn't give for my workshop right about now :)
ANYWAY. Back to the update of my life! From, like, a week ago.
Sunday July 8th
I needed to do some shopping. After sleeping in (oh, what a treasure that is) I got cleaned up and headed out, but not before repairing my bike. For the past two or so weeks, the rear tire has been flat. I deflated it on accident due to my inexperience with its valve system, and the fact that I haven't owned or operated a bike in nearly 10 years. I've also had a lack of free time to sit down and puzzle out how the darn thing works. However, finding myself with not much to do and a beautiful, sunny day to do it on, I managed to fix it. I thought it was tricky, but in reality it's quite simple.
You unscrew the valve a little. You clamp the bike pump's nozzle onto the valve. You start pumping. It's an ingenious double valve system; unscrewing disengages an internal rubber seal just a wee bit, so as to allow air in, but not out. Clamping the pump's nozzle creates a *second* one-way seal. You pump air through these two one-way seals, and bam, the tire has air while nothing escapes. Disengaging the whole thing is a snap, and a quick twist re-seals the bike's inner valve. I topped off the front tire, too, figuring it best to be safe rather than sorry.
I then biked for the first time in half a month. It was so very, very smooth. Like butter, as it were. I had been having some suspension (such as it was) trouble with my bike before the deflation incident, and the improved performance thanks to my maintenance makes me believe it was due to low air pressure. In short, the bike drives a *lot* better now. Still a little rattly, but it should be okay for the next little while.
I dashed down toward the station, where lay my ATM. I ran into Josh on the way down, and we decided to hang together. We both needed to do some shopping in the department stores, so we teamed up. I had heard about a sale in Ito Yokado, so we sought items of discount. To my delight, they had a sale on summer shorts. I bought two pairs of Double Large (LL) shorts. They look like they're made out of nylon. Quite comfortable, but I haven't yet tried them on for a long period of time.
That bit done, Josh and I hoofed it to Sakura City, Hitachi's other big department store. Here we bought groceries, myself purchasing snack foods for the first time in months. Nothing extravagant, but a minor indulgence. Doritos. Taco flavor. Very...interesting.
Before we bought groceries, though, something I thought to be impossible happened. Walking into the entrance of Sakura City, I spied someone reading a D&D book. In broad daylight. In Japan. I was almost at a loss for words. I dashed over and struck up a conversation, pointing enthusiastically to my t-shirt, being a D&D shirt celebrating the release of 3rd Edition. He said that he ran a game in the nearby community center, but I couldn't get a time out of him. He said that his group got together and *talked* about the game on Saturdays from 1PM to 7PM. Toward the end of our conversation we were joined by another gamer, one who could speak English astonishingly well.
I was so floored by the whole experience, I almost forgot to give my contact info. I gave the first guy my email address, but as of this writing I have heard nothing from either of them. Even remembering the encounter now, I am amazed at the sheer randomness of it all. Quite the coincidence.
After shopping, Josh and I parted ways. I rode home, eager to drop off my groceries and meet up with K. He and I had planned on making his character for my own D&D game, to be run (hopefully) before too long. Alas, he was mired deep in a recent game purchase (The Legend of Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass, for the DS) and was lost to me. I enjoyed a quiet evening at home, relaxing and perusing the web.
Monday July 9th
K and I had determined that this day we would make his character. Around noon, I took my laptop from its perch, placed it reverently in its case, and took it to Dotour. This was the first time my laptop had been disconnected from its steadily-growing nest of cables and peripherals. It looked naked, somehow smaller, once freed from its extra appendages. It was an interesting sight, the big blank spot on my desk where it had rested for so long.
K and I got together, and we spent the next three or so hours making his character. It's interesting to talk to someone so relatively inexperienced with tabletop gaming. Teaching someone from the ground up what it is to play a pen-and-paper RPG. Having to vocalize assumptions I've been making for almost a decade. Describing the idea of narrating the actions of one's character. To see realization spark in his face was really rewarding, and I could tell K very much wants to play. It's quite nice to find a convert so far in the wastes :)
We dashed back to our homes briefly, so as to deposit our delicate electronics. We reconvened at the usual meeting place for our weekly Japanese Lesson. Until 8 or so we talked back and forth about translations and relationships. Interesting lesson, but kind of boring to recount. We just...talk about Japanese for 3 or 4 hours.
At the end of that, there was talk of going to a Spanish restaurant nearby. The group struck out in search of delicious Spanish food, but after half an hour of wandering, we were stumped. K, Clive, and I, using both my bike and K's, scouted ahead of the group in multiple directions, but we could find no trace of the place. We decided to wrap up the weekend at G-Bros, as we so often do. Drinks were had, conversations mumbled in the smoky intimacy of the bar's warm interior.
At the end of the evening I came home and relaxed. Became inspired to play more Pokemon Diamond, thanks to chats with one of my brothers (Chris) and played that until I slept.
Tuesday July 10th
My lessons have finally looped. Some of my lessons are on a 3(ish) month schedule, and I finally completed my first loop. Nealy 3/4 of the materials I've planned I can use again, and thus my work load has been greatly reduced. I prepared for the entire week in the space of one afternoon, to my undying delight.
Wednesday July 11th
6 lessons, but still prepped for everything. Yay!
Thursday July 12th
Slightly lighter than normal. Only 4 classes, thanks to a cancellation.
Friday July 13th
I just realized this was Friday the 13th. It makes sense, now. After work, which was nice and light again, I went to B.B.A. to hang with Josh for the evening. The plan was to play Guilty Gear and have a few adult beverages. Alas, Josh had forgotten the game at home, but there was plenty of beer to be had. Also, a Brazilian guy.
I met a gentleman, currently a middleman in the car parts business, named Scandalari. I couldn't make up a more fascinating character. He's 42 years old and has been everywhere. He claimed to have traveled all over Europe, and he routinely backpacks throughout Southeast Asia. He's got a vacation planned that will take him across Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand over the course of a month or so. He is also a licensed pilot. He speaks English, Japanese, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian (that I know of; he could speak more).
We talked for quite some time, comparing life experiences, talking of our respective travels. Sharing our love of Paris, a city we both had been to and both loved. Then he told me his parents were Italian, to which I responded with my own claim to Sicilian blood. It was as if I had offered him my first born son, who was made of gold. A big smile broke out over his face, and he shook my hand with renewed vigor, overjoyed to have found a distant Italian cousin, a thousand times removed, in this foreign land.
He bought me several drinks, to toast our mutual heritage. Much merriment was had, and much alcohol was consumed. Much. Like, far more than I usually have. Midnight rolled around, and I politely bowed out, citing my legitimate need for sleep, as I worked the next morning. I bid the gathered farewell, and biked, wobbly but competently, home. I took a few Ibuprofin and downed a tall glass of water, trusting my liver to process the alcohol in my system before work in the morning.
Oh, folly! Oh, hubris! Oh, intestinal fortitude, how I beg your forgiveness! What was to begin with that night of enjoyment was to become a tragedy of truly Greek proportions.
Well, not *that* bad. Everyone's still alive and no gods had to step in and fix everything. Still, it wasn't very pleasant.
Saturday July 14th
I awoke, probably around 3AM or so, quite dizzy. I felt the cold sweat of nausea roil its way across my flesh, and knew what had to be done. Carefully, gingerly, I made my way to my bathroom, and knew the trauma/relief of regurgitation. I felt almost immediately better, thinking the worst was behind me. I brushed my teeth and was asleep almost instantly.
I awoke with my alarm at 8AM, on time. I leaped up, feeling pretty good about the day. I was slightly dizzy and without balance, but I thought little of it. I had a hearty breakfast of the last of my cheese and bread, believing the previous night's trauma to be the end of my woes.
I biked (boke?) to work, arriving early. Felt a little woozy, but pushed it away. There was class to teach! I gathered my materials, corralled my students, and began to teach. As I taught, I began to feel the unmistakable sensation of impending upchuck. I struggled, as Sisyphus does with his boulder, against the inevitable, but it was no use. At the bottom of the hour, I knew I could delay my illness no longer, and excused myself from my lesson, much to my shame. How I held it together so long I will not know; it was as if I saw myself from outside my body as it navigated the short hallway to the front desk. I informed my manager of my impending situation, and begged her to take over my lesson, which she promptly did.
I managed to get into the men's bathroom without incident, whence I proceeded to return my breakfast to the world in a manner similar to, but not quite that of, its consumption. After a few minutes I exited, and was met with the horrified stare of the assistant manager. She wished to know if I was okay. Apparently, my vocalizations were not as quiet as I had wished, and from the look on her face it was a miracle I had survived whatever trials I had undergone within the men's lavatory. I scrubbed my mouth with a dash of water from the sink in the back, along with my face. I assured her I was feeling better already, despite my pale visage and visibly shaking hands.
I sat down in the break room and tried not to move, my illness receding at a glacial pace, slow but steady. I remember my manager inquiring to my well-being. I was still unable to teach my next lesson. I felt like paper. I flopped in the breeze, and had no strength. My stomach had an unpleasantly weak feeling in it, and I knew if I tried to stand again it would not be pretty. Luckily, another teacher, a part-timer, was able to take over my next class, and I rested more. M-sensei heard of my plight, and was kind enough to buy me a soda from the vending machine in the lobby.
Rest, the open window supplying me with fresh air, and the soda (a generic un-cola) refreshed me more than I thought possible. After an hour and a half of misery, I was able to teach again. The rest of the day was somewhat touch-and-go, but in the end all was good. I kept some rice balls down for lunch and had no more difficulties for the rest of the day.
I was amazed at the kindness from my coworkers, though I suppose I shouldn't be that surprised. Teamwork and workplace harmony are number one in Japan, and this situation is something they are always prepared to handle.
At the end of the day, all was well. I bid everyone farewell after the school was cleaned and packed away for the weekend. I thanked all those involved with my rescue profusely, to their amusement, but I insisted. They had saved me big time, and I couldn't give them enough thanks.
At home, after a rain-soaked bike ride home, I rested. Dinner was rice and veggies again, always delicious and filling. I was somewhat worried of the sheer bulk of the meal, but my stomach accepted it with relish, and all was well. I made an appearance at G-Bros for a few hours, which was underscored by a call from my Mom. Yay Moms!
As an aside, before you continue reading, call your Mother. She worries about you, even if she doesn't say so. She loves you, no matter what you have done or what she's said. Unless you're a villain. Then all bets are off. But, still, tell your Mom you love her, 'cause it always makes her day.
Back on track. I had a nice evening at G-Bros, but called it in around 1AM. The day's events had left me quite drained, and I felt myself flagging before I had finished my food. My journey home was rain-soaked, but otherwise uneventful. Sleep was blissful.
Sunday July 15th
Today! It's been rainy and windy and stormy all day. A typhoon, the fourth of the year and well within the strongest category for such storms, has been moving super-slowly towards Hitachi. It's leading edge has been dumping rain and wind on the city since last night, and there's no signs of it letting up. I'm not quite sure where the actual storm is now, given my inability to find a good resource for recent satellite imagery for this side of the world, but I can safely assume it's going to be this way tomorrow.
I've spent almost the entire day in my apartment. I had plans of going out and doing stuff, but the elements outside were quite fierce, forcing me indoors. I braved the storm to procure drinks, being reduced to tap water (hydrating! but not a lot of variety for the palette) for drink choice. The winds were strong, but a resolute stance saw me to the nearest conbini and back without incident.
I got it in my head to do some computer cleaning, so I uninstalled a bunch of programs I haven't touched in months. I made some room for Neverwinter Nights, the original, hoping to get in on some old-school (wow, NWN is oldschool now...that's weird) D&D fun. I was pleased to find that my old account on Bioware's, the game's maker, website was still intact, which included my CD key. I have the disks with me, and the installation was a painless procedure. I seem to have no way to log into online games, which had been my original intention, which saddens me somewhat, but I haven't applied much brainpower to the problem yet.
I got a bit stir crazy toward the end of the daylight (such as it was). I wanted to DO something, but I was stuck indoors with access to no real materials to do with. I have no paints or markers, no wire or beads to craft with. No tools, no wood or metal. Just my computer, paper, and pens. So, I decided to write this.
And that is where you have found me. At my computer for the better part of the last two hours, writing this update.
I feel a lot better, having done something with all my energy. I think I'll do some exercises now, to add a physical component.
I don't know what I'll do tomorrow. I may study on my own, if the storm is bad. If it's light, I may go to the lesson. I may go out shopping, either here or elsewhere. I'd like to get out of the apartment, if I can.
Immediate info: there's a typhoon knocking on my door right now. I'm fine, no worries about being hurt by the storm. The mountains are absorbing the brunt of the storm's force, so Hitachi will be fine.
I've been going a bit stir-crazy, though. I ventured out during a 'light' period to grab food and drink. I'm well-stocked now, but I don't think the storm will last more than a day or two. I want to do *something* and I'm driving myself up the walls thinking of what to do. What I wouldn't give for my workshop right about now :)
ANYWAY. Back to the update of my life! From, like, a week ago.
Sunday July 8th
I needed to do some shopping. After sleeping in (oh, what a treasure that is) I got cleaned up and headed out, but not before repairing my bike. For the past two or so weeks, the rear tire has been flat. I deflated it on accident due to my inexperience with its valve system, and the fact that I haven't owned or operated a bike in nearly 10 years. I've also had a lack of free time to sit down and puzzle out how the darn thing works. However, finding myself with not much to do and a beautiful, sunny day to do it on, I managed to fix it. I thought it was tricky, but in reality it's quite simple.
You unscrew the valve a little. You clamp the bike pump's nozzle onto the valve. You start pumping. It's an ingenious double valve system; unscrewing disengages an internal rubber seal just a wee bit, so as to allow air in, but not out. Clamping the pump's nozzle creates a *second* one-way seal. You pump air through these two one-way seals, and bam, the tire has air while nothing escapes. Disengaging the whole thing is a snap, and a quick twist re-seals the bike's inner valve. I topped off the front tire, too, figuring it best to be safe rather than sorry.
I then biked for the first time in half a month. It was so very, very smooth. Like butter, as it were. I had been having some suspension (such as it was) trouble with my bike before the deflation incident, and the improved performance thanks to my maintenance makes me believe it was due to low air pressure. In short, the bike drives a *lot* better now. Still a little rattly, but it should be okay for the next little while.
I dashed down toward the station, where lay my ATM. I ran into Josh on the way down, and we decided to hang together. We both needed to do some shopping in the department stores, so we teamed up. I had heard about a sale in Ito Yokado, so we sought items of discount. To my delight, they had a sale on summer shorts. I bought two pairs of Double Large (LL) shorts. They look like they're made out of nylon. Quite comfortable, but I haven't yet tried them on for a long period of time.
That bit done, Josh and I hoofed it to Sakura City, Hitachi's other big department store. Here we bought groceries, myself purchasing snack foods for the first time in months. Nothing extravagant, but a minor indulgence. Doritos. Taco flavor. Very...interesting.
Before we bought groceries, though, something I thought to be impossible happened. Walking into the entrance of Sakura City, I spied someone reading a D&D book. In broad daylight. In Japan. I was almost at a loss for words. I dashed over and struck up a conversation, pointing enthusiastically to my t-shirt, being a D&D shirt celebrating the release of 3rd Edition. He said that he ran a game in the nearby community center, but I couldn't get a time out of him. He said that his group got together and *talked* about the game on Saturdays from 1PM to 7PM. Toward the end of our conversation we were joined by another gamer, one who could speak English astonishingly well.
I was so floored by the whole experience, I almost forgot to give my contact info. I gave the first guy my email address, but as of this writing I have heard nothing from either of them. Even remembering the encounter now, I am amazed at the sheer randomness of it all. Quite the coincidence.
After shopping, Josh and I parted ways. I rode home, eager to drop off my groceries and meet up with K. He and I had planned on making his character for my own D&D game, to be run (hopefully) before too long. Alas, he was mired deep in a recent game purchase (The Legend of Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass, for the DS) and was lost to me. I enjoyed a quiet evening at home, relaxing and perusing the web.
Monday July 9th
K and I had determined that this day we would make his character. Around noon, I took my laptop from its perch, placed it reverently in its case, and took it to Dotour. This was the first time my laptop had been disconnected from its steadily-growing nest of cables and peripherals. It looked naked, somehow smaller, once freed from its extra appendages. It was an interesting sight, the big blank spot on my desk where it had rested for so long.
K and I got together, and we spent the next three or so hours making his character. It's interesting to talk to someone so relatively inexperienced with tabletop gaming. Teaching someone from the ground up what it is to play a pen-and-paper RPG. Having to vocalize assumptions I've been making for almost a decade. Describing the idea of narrating the actions of one's character. To see realization spark in his face was really rewarding, and I could tell K very much wants to play. It's quite nice to find a convert so far in the wastes :)
We dashed back to our homes briefly, so as to deposit our delicate electronics. We reconvened at the usual meeting place for our weekly Japanese Lesson. Until 8 or so we talked back and forth about translations and relationships. Interesting lesson, but kind of boring to recount. We just...talk about Japanese for 3 or 4 hours.
At the end of that, there was talk of going to a Spanish restaurant nearby. The group struck out in search of delicious Spanish food, but after half an hour of wandering, we were stumped. K, Clive, and I, using both my bike and K's, scouted ahead of the group in multiple directions, but we could find no trace of the place. We decided to wrap up the weekend at G-Bros, as we so often do. Drinks were had, conversations mumbled in the smoky intimacy of the bar's warm interior.
At the end of the evening I came home and relaxed. Became inspired to play more Pokemon Diamond, thanks to chats with one of my brothers (Chris) and played that until I slept.
Tuesday July 10th
My lessons have finally looped. Some of my lessons are on a 3(ish) month schedule, and I finally completed my first loop. Nealy 3/4 of the materials I've planned I can use again, and thus my work load has been greatly reduced. I prepared for the entire week in the space of one afternoon, to my undying delight.
Wednesday July 11th
6 lessons, but still prepped for everything. Yay!
Thursday July 12th
Slightly lighter than normal. Only 4 classes, thanks to a cancellation.
Friday July 13th
I just realized this was Friday the 13th. It makes sense, now. After work, which was nice and light again, I went to B.B.A. to hang with Josh for the evening. The plan was to play Guilty Gear and have a few adult beverages. Alas, Josh had forgotten the game at home, but there was plenty of beer to be had. Also, a Brazilian guy.
I met a gentleman, currently a middleman in the car parts business, named Scandalari. I couldn't make up a more fascinating character. He's 42 years old and has been everywhere. He claimed to have traveled all over Europe, and he routinely backpacks throughout Southeast Asia. He's got a vacation planned that will take him across Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand over the course of a month or so. He is also a licensed pilot. He speaks English, Japanese, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian (that I know of; he could speak more).
We talked for quite some time, comparing life experiences, talking of our respective travels. Sharing our love of Paris, a city we both had been to and both loved. Then he told me his parents were Italian, to which I responded with my own claim to Sicilian blood. It was as if I had offered him my first born son, who was made of gold. A big smile broke out over his face, and he shook my hand with renewed vigor, overjoyed to have found a distant Italian cousin, a thousand times removed, in this foreign land.
He bought me several drinks, to toast our mutual heritage. Much merriment was had, and much alcohol was consumed. Much. Like, far more than I usually have. Midnight rolled around, and I politely bowed out, citing my legitimate need for sleep, as I worked the next morning. I bid the gathered farewell, and biked, wobbly but competently, home. I took a few Ibuprofin and downed a tall glass of water, trusting my liver to process the alcohol in my system before work in the morning.
Oh, folly! Oh, hubris! Oh, intestinal fortitude, how I beg your forgiveness! What was to begin with that night of enjoyment was to become a tragedy of truly Greek proportions.
Well, not *that* bad. Everyone's still alive and no gods had to step in and fix everything. Still, it wasn't very pleasant.
Saturday July 14th
I awoke, probably around 3AM or so, quite dizzy. I felt the cold sweat of nausea roil its way across my flesh, and knew what had to be done. Carefully, gingerly, I made my way to my bathroom, and knew the trauma/relief of regurgitation. I felt almost immediately better, thinking the worst was behind me. I brushed my teeth and was asleep almost instantly.
I awoke with my alarm at 8AM, on time. I leaped up, feeling pretty good about the day. I was slightly dizzy and without balance, but I thought little of it. I had a hearty breakfast of the last of my cheese and bread, believing the previous night's trauma to be the end of my woes.
I biked (boke?) to work, arriving early. Felt a little woozy, but pushed it away. There was class to teach! I gathered my materials, corralled my students, and began to teach. As I taught, I began to feel the unmistakable sensation of impending upchuck. I struggled, as Sisyphus does with his boulder, against the inevitable, but it was no use. At the bottom of the hour, I knew I could delay my illness no longer, and excused myself from my lesson, much to my shame. How I held it together so long I will not know; it was as if I saw myself from outside my body as it navigated the short hallway to the front desk. I informed my manager of my impending situation, and begged her to take over my lesson, which she promptly did.
I managed to get into the men's bathroom without incident, whence I proceeded to return my breakfast to the world in a manner similar to, but not quite that of, its consumption. After a few minutes I exited, and was met with the horrified stare of the assistant manager. She wished to know if I was okay. Apparently, my vocalizations were not as quiet as I had wished, and from the look on her face it was a miracle I had survived whatever trials I had undergone within the men's lavatory. I scrubbed my mouth with a dash of water from the sink in the back, along with my face. I assured her I was feeling better already, despite my pale visage and visibly shaking hands.
I sat down in the break room and tried not to move, my illness receding at a glacial pace, slow but steady. I remember my manager inquiring to my well-being. I was still unable to teach my next lesson. I felt like paper. I flopped in the breeze, and had no strength. My stomach had an unpleasantly weak feeling in it, and I knew if I tried to stand again it would not be pretty. Luckily, another teacher, a part-timer, was able to take over my next class, and I rested more. M-sensei heard of my plight, and was kind enough to buy me a soda from the vending machine in the lobby.
Rest, the open window supplying me with fresh air, and the soda (a generic un-cola) refreshed me more than I thought possible. After an hour and a half of misery, I was able to teach again. The rest of the day was somewhat touch-and-go, but in the end all was good. I kept some rice balls down for lunch and had no more difficulties for the rest of the day.
I was amazed at the kindness from my coworkers, though I suppose I shouldn't be that surprised. Teamwork and workplace harmony are number one in Japan, and this situation is something they are always prepared to handle.
At the end of the day, all was well. I bid everyone farewell after the school was cleaned and packed away for the weekend. I thanked all those involved with my rescue profusely, to their amusement, but I insisted. They had saved me big time, and I couldn't give them enough thanks.
At home, after a rain-soaked bike ride home, I rested. Dinner was rice and veggies again, always delicious and filling. I was somewhat worried of the sheer bulk of the meal, but my stomach accepted it with relish, and all was well. I made an appearance at G-Bros for a few hours, which was underscored by a call from my Mom. Yay Moms!
As an aside, before you continue reading, call your Mother. She worries about you, even if she doesn't say so. She loves you, no matter what you have done or what she's said. Unless you're a villain. Then all bets are off. But, still, tell your Mom you love her, 'cause it always makes her day.
Back on track. I had a nice evening at G-Bros, but called it in around 1AM. The day's events had left me quite drained, and I felt myself flagging before I had finished my food. My journey home was rain-soaked, but otherwise uneventful. Sleep was blissful.
Sunday July 15th
Today! It's been rainy and windy and stormy all day. A typhoon, the fourth of the year and well within the strongest category for such storms, has been moving super-slowly towards Hitachi. It's leading edge has been dumping rain and wind on the city since last night, and there's no signs of it letting up. I'm not quite sure where the actual storm is now, given my inability to find a good resource for recent satellite imagery for this side of the world, but I can safely assume it's going to be this way tomorrow.
I've spent almost the entire day in my apartment. I had plans of going out and doing stuff, but the elements outside were quite fierce, forcing me indoors. I braved the storm to procure drinks, being reduced to tap water (hydrating! but not a lot of variety for the palette) for drink choice. The winds were strong, but a resolute stance saw me to the nearest conbini and back without incident.
I got it in my head to do some computer cleaning, so I uninstalled a bunch of programs I haven't touched in months. I made some room for Neverwinter Nights, the original, hoping to get in on some old-school (wow, NWN is oldschool now...that's weird) D&D fun. I was pleased to find that my old account on Bioware's, the game's maker, website was still intact, which included my CD key. I have the disks with me, and the installation was a painless procedure. I seem to have no way to log into online games, which had been my original intention, which saddens me somewhat, but I haven't applied much brainpower to the problem yet.
I got a bit stir crazy toward the end of the daylight (such as it was). I wanted to DO something, but I was stuck indoors with access to no real materials to do with. I have no paints or markers, no wire or beads to craft with. No tools, no wood or metal. Just my computer, paper, and pens. So, I decided to write this.
And that is where you have found me. At my computer for the better part of the last two hours, writing this update.
I feel a lot better, having done something with all my energy. I think I'll do some exercises now, to add a physical component.
I don't know what I'll do tomorrow. I may study on my own, if the storm is bad. If it's light, I may go to the lesson. I may go out shopping, either here or elsewhere. I'd like to get out of the apartment, if I can.
Sunday, July 8, 2007
And now for the *real* post of the day
J83 Monday, July 9th 2007
Oh, what a week it has been! I've been trying to find the time to post (and do many other things) but petty desires like sleep and food have robbed what little free time I have. NEVERTHELESS, I am working toward the eventual goal of daily blog posts here. Small steps, though; I'm thinking of moving up to twice or thrice weekly at first.
Anyway!
Tuesday the 3rd of July
Recovering from the weekend.
Wednesday the 4th of July
Happy Birthday, America! This is the first of *three* celebratory days I will have for this holiday! Don't forget, readers, I'm a day in the future compared to America.
Thursday the 5th of July
Happy Birthday, America! Again! On my Thursday, it was your Wednesday, so...y'know...another celebration. Mostly it was happy thoughts :)
Friday the 6th of July
A slow day. Mercifully, I only had 4 classes thanks to a cancellation at the last minute. My week tends to be heavy at the beginning and end, but Thursdays, and most Fridays, tend to be light, giving me a needed break to collect my energies.
Friday night proved to be a fascinating adventure, though. Josh, resident Guilty Gear aficionado whom with E.J. an I became acquainted while my brother was visiting, invited me to play said game at the B.B.A., given that that bar is equipped with a PS3. I obliged, but we ran into a bit of a snag. Plans had been made without my knowledge, and the evening was not to be spent playing fighting games.
I waited at B.B.A. for a few hours after work, all the while conscious of the time slipping by, time I could be sleeping. Finally, Josh showed up. He informed me that we would be going elsewhere, so I settled my tab and joined him outside. He introduced me to an acquaintance of his, a sushi restaurant owner who's name eludes me at the moment. Josh and his mysterious friend took our small party 'round a corner, just a block down the street from B.B.A. to a small door in the wall. Josh's friend, a heavy set man wearing a Boyscout Uniform shirt over a bright red t-shirt and a straw cowboy hat, ascended the stairs we found behind the door with a speed that his bulk hid well. Josh alighted quickly, motioning me to follow. I asked where we were going, and Josh replied quite simply "A Snack Bar."
A Snack Bar, for those of you who have never been to Japan, is a fascinating establishment. During crowded times, it is very much like a normal Japanese bar; one sits down, drinks and/or smokes heavily, and has a good time yelling what is essentially nonsense at other people. When it is not crowded, however, it transforms. Aside from the bartender, who is usually the owner, the staff is almost always composed entirely of young, attractive women. Their job is to serve the eponymous snacks and the beer. They also are there to talk to you. You don't pay for individual items at a Snack Bar, you pay for time. An hour at this place ran a person about 3,000 yen. A young lady of the place will sit with you as you eat and drink, engaging you in conversation and, generally, appear interested in your job, your life, or any other topic of conversation you care to come up with.
This evening, it was crowded, so no one-on-one treatment. The beer was nice, the snacks were...interesting...and the young attractive women were young and attractive. Josh and I relaxed and had some light geek talk, while every few minutes our mysterious benefactor would talk to one or both of us about his daughter that found him two years ago. From Africa.
After an hour or so of laughter, merriment, and rough translations of African locations, Josh's friend decided to hit the road. I stood to leave, and thus pay, but both Josh and his friend said that I didn't have to. The owner of the bar just smiled and waved as we left. I was shocked, but it was happening before my very eyes; I had gotten a free drink in Japan. Was it some secret agreement between Josh's friend and the Bar's owner? Old friends, or even rivals, sharing a quiet moment of peace before their never ending struggle for the snack-dollars (yen in this case) of the business man resumed? I do not know, nor do I wish to. I had two good beers for free, and that's what matters.
I left Josh and his friend after that, eager to get home and sleep. The next day was Saturday, always an intense, if not necessarily difficult, day. I stopped by Second Earth on my way back, as some of the Gang had gathered there for a Friday night cap. I dropped in, relayed my tale of weirdness, and we all left together to go our separate ways home.
I walked home via back streets and unlit alleys, quite safe and sound. I passed behind the shrine I'd found three weeks prior, and felt peace at the night quiet. I finally got home and quickly got to bed, desiring a nice recharge for the next day's activities.
Saturday the 7th of July
Crunch time. The big push. Saturdays are like a wall of lessons to climb. Not hard. Not impossible. Just challenging. Like long-distance walking; something you can do, but not something you can rush or just sleep through. Still, having done this for over 4 months now, I have become somewhat of a pro at this sort of thing, so it was no problem. The evening came as it always does, after a patient and even passage of time, and M-sensei and myself parted ways for our respective homes, secure in the knowledge that we would meet again later at G-Bros.
Indeed, we did. I grabbed a shower once I got home and relaxed with a rare moment of video gaming. I've been trying out Fallout, finding it quite rewarding and enjoyable. After a few hours of fun, I headed out to Bros. Most of the Gang were there, and we had a nice, loud evening drinking and talking. Claire and I talked some about the attempted bombing in Glasgow. She had found a few pages of jokes her countrymen had concocted about the incident, displaying a refreshing joviality about attempted terrorism I remember once existed in my own nation.
Our drinking was cut shorter than usual, for we desired to celebrate the 4th of July. Well, we Americans, of which there are 4 in the Gang, 3 present that evening. The others, a Scotswoman, two Englishmen, and a Canadian, wanted to set things on fire and watch them explode. Thankfully, Japan has no restrictions on fireworks, so we stocked up at the nearby conbini. I bought some tea and a small snack to help clear my head after drinking, and I'm glad I did. One should never play with fireworks while inebriated.
Our group made its way to Ose Beach, the local spot for ocean-based amusement in Hitachi. We found another small group of fireworks-users once we got to the ocean side, and we decided to set up shop nearby. The next two or so hours were filled with fire and explosions, but of a far more enjoyable form than we've been exposed to recently. We weren't without our mishaps, of course. I was nearly hit by a poorly-placed firework, and my fingers were covered in a dozen small singe marks from my lighter. There was a wicked breeze and it made lighting things difficult.
We all trudged back after we'd exhausted our supply of fireworks (hanabi in Japanese). Some went back to Bros to enjoy a few more drinks, while others, myself included, decided to call it a night. I returned home, walking with Matt (Clive's room-mate, and thus the closest English teachers to my own apartment) and getting home around 3. Blissful, restful sleep washed over me once I lay in my bed.
Sunday's update will be written tomorrow, as it is late, I am tired, and I just may be coming down with something. The glands in my neck have begun to swell and become sore, which is usually a precursor to illness on my behalf.
Oh, what a week it has been! I've been trying to find the time to post (and do many other things) but petty desires like sleep and food have robbed what little free time I have. NEVERTHELESS, I am working toward the eventual goal of daily blog posts here. Small steps, though; I'm thinking of moving up to twice or thrice weekly at first.
Anyway!
Tuesday the 3rd of July
Recovering from the weekend.
Wednesday the 4th of July
Happy Birthday, America! This is the first of *three* celebratory days I will have for this holiday! Don't forget, readers, I'm a day in the future compared to America.
Thursday the 5th of July
Happy Birthday, America! Again! On my Thursday, it was your Wednesday, so...y'know...another celebration. Mostly it was happy thoughts :)
Friday the 6th of July
A slow day. Mercifully, I only had 4 classes thanks to a cancellation at the last minute. My week tends to be heavy at the beginning and end, but Thursdays, and most Fridays, tend to be light, giving me a needed break to collect my energies.
Friday night proved to be a fascinating adventure, though. Josh, resident Guilty Gear aficionado whom with E.J. an I became acquainted while my brother was visiting, invited me to play said game at the B.B.A., given that that bar is equipped with a PS3. I obliged, but we ran into a bit of a snag. Plans had been made without my knowledge, and the evening was not to be spent playing fighting games.
I waited at B.B.A. for a few hours after work, all the while conscious of the time slipping by, time I could be sleeping. Finally, Josh showed up. He informed me that we would be going elsewhere, so I settled my tab and joined him outside. He introduced me to an acquaintance of his, a sushi restaurant owner who's name eludes me at the moment. Josh and his mysterious friend took our small party 'round a corner, just a block down the street from B.B.A. to a small door in the wall. Josh's friend, a heavy set man wearing a Boyscout Uniform shirt over a bright red t-shirt and a straw cowboy hat, ascended the stairs we found behind the door with a speed that his bulk hid well. Josh alighted quickly, motioning me to follow. I asked where we were going, and Josh replied quite simply "A Snack Bar."
A Snack Bar, for those of you who have never been to Japan, is a fascinating establishment. During crowded times, it is very much like a normal Japanese bar; one sits down, drinks and/or smokes heavily, and has a good time yelling what is essentially nonsense at other people. When it is not crowded, however, it transforms. Aside from the bartender, who is usually the owner, the staff is almost always composed entirely of young, attractive women. Their job is to serve the eponymous snacks and the beer. They also are there to talk to you. You don't pay for individual items at a Snack Bar, you pay for time. An hour at this place ran a person about 3,000 yen. A young lady of the place will sit with you as you eat and drink, engaging you in conversation and, generally, appear interested in your job, your life, or any other topic of conversation you care to come up with.
This evening, it was crowded, so no one-on-one treatment. The beer was nice, the snacks were...interesting...and the young attractive women were young and attractive. Josh and I relaxed and had some light geek talk, while every few minutes our mysterious benefactor would talk to one or both of us about his daughter that found him two years ago. From Africa.
After an hour or so of laughter, merriment, and rough translations of African locations, Josh's friend decided to hit the road. I stood to leave, and thus pay, but both Josh and his friend said that I didn't have to. The owner of the bar just smiled and waved as we left. I was shocked, but it was happening before my very eyes; I had gotten a free drink in Japan. Was it some secret agreement between Josh's friend and the Bar's owner? Old friends, or even rivals, sharing a quiet moment of peace before their never ending struggle for the snack-dollars (yen in this case) of the business man resumed? I do not know, nor do I wish to. I had two good beers for free, and that's what matters.
I left Josh and his friend after that, eager to get home and sleep. The next day was Saturday, always an intense, if not necessarily difficult, day. I stopped by Second Earth on my way back, as some of the Gang had gathered there for a Friday night cap. I dropped in, relayed my tale of weirdness, and we all left together to go our separate ways home.
I walked home via back streets and unlit alleys, quite safe and sound. I passed behind the shrine I'd found three weeks prior, and felt peace at the night quiet. I finally got home and quickly got to bed, desiring a nice recharge for the next day's activities.
Saturday the 7th of July
Crunch time. The big push. Saturdays are like a wall of lessons to climb. Not hard. Not impossible. Just challenging. Like long-distance walking; something you can do, but not something you can rush or just sleep through. Still, having done this for over 4 months now, I have become somewhat of a pro at this sort of thing, so it was no problem. The evening came as it always does, after a patient and even passage of time, and M-sensei and myself parted ways for our respective homes, secure in the knowledge that we would meet again later at G-Bros.
Indeed, we did. I grabbed a shower once I got home and relaxed with a rare moment of video gaming. I've been trying out Fallout, finding it quite rewarding and enjoyable. After a few hours of fun, I headed out to Bros. Most of the Gang were there, and we had a nice, loud evening drinking and talking. Claire and I talked some about the attempted bombing in Glasgow. She had found a few pages of jokes her countrymen had concocted about the incident, displaying a refreshing joviality about attempted terrorism I remember once existed in my own nation.
Our drinking was cut shorter than usual, for we desired to celebrate the 4th of July. Well, we Americans, of which there are 4 in the Gang, 3 present that evening. The others, a Scotswoman, two Englishmen, and a Canadian, wanted to set things on fire and watch them explode. Thankfully, Japan has no restrictions on fireworks, so we stocked up at the nearby conbini. I bought some tea and a small snack to help clear my head after drinking, and I'm glad I did. One should never play with fireworks while inebriated.
Our group made its way to Ose Beach, the local spot for ocean-based amusement in Hitachi. We found another small group of fireworks-users once we got to the ocean side, and we decided to set up shop nearby. The next two or so hours were filled with fire and explosions, but of a far more enjoyable form than we've been exposed to recently. We weren't without our mishaps, of course. I was nearly hit by a poorly-placed firework, and my fingers were covered in a dozen small singe marks from my lighter. There was a wicked breeze and it made lighting things difficult.
We all trudged back after we'd exhausted our supply of fireworks (hanabi in Japanese). Some went back to Bros to enjoy a few more drinks, while others, myself included, decided to call it a night. I returned home, walking with Matt (Clive's room-mate, and thus the closest English teachers to my own apartment) and getting home around 3. Blissful, restful sleep washed over me once I lay in my bed.
Sunday's update will be written tomorrow, as it is late, I am tired, and I just may be coming down with something. The glands in my neck have begun to swell and become sore, which is usually a precursor to illness on my behalf.
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Can't sleep....clown will eat me.
J82 Thursday, July 5th 2007
Happy 4th of July to the other side of the world! For me, the 4th was yesterday. No celebrations were had here, but in my heart I thanked America for being so awesome, even if the current state of affairs is a bit mucky. I also wore my blue shirt and a red tie, so I was 2/3 patriotic.
Yet another fun-filled weekend was had last weekend. I'm getting closer to actually making more than one post a week. It's tricky to get into the habit of writing every day.
Saturday the 30th (of June)
G-Bros was hosting a private party, so the Gang had no where to go! Well, that's not true at all. Hitachi is crammed full of bars, you just need to know where to look. K found a nice place called The Second Earth. It had a little of everything. The front of the store was like a party-themed conbini, with drinks and snacks and widgets available for purchase before or after one came to the bar. The bar was nice, a solid thing of blonde pine, but the Gang opted to settle in one of the tables squeezed in the back.
As an aside, if you ever decide to come to Japan, realize that you will devote a lot of your brain power to wondering how they managed to do things. How did they move that huge table into this tiny space? Those decorations, are they purposefully set there, or have they accumulated by some bar-logic of kitch-growth?
Ahem. The Gang had already ordered food by the time I got in, but I had made dinner for myself before I left, so it was all good. We all had milkshakes, not wanting to get too blitzed before the night truly began at Bros. I had a berry blend, after sampling some of Claire's (Scottish girl) which was heavenly.
We stayed at Second Earth for a few hours, talking about this and that. My bike's rear tire had deflated (and still is, as of this writing, flat) due to a technical mixup I had with a recently-acquired bike pump. That conversation was fun. I can't recall much else of what we talked about. The upcoming trip to Tokyo, for Clive's birthday, was discussed briefly.
Around 11:30 or so we relocated to G-Bros. On the way out, while we settled our tab, one of the Gang, Matt, bought a truly ridiculously massive jar of peanut butter, citing the lack of said ridiculous size anywhere else in Japan, and his love for the stuff. Go Matt.
We got a back table at Bros and the preliminary birthday celebrations were had. Actually, if I recall, the Clive and (Amity) Mike both had their birthdays on Saturday, with the Tokyo trip being a post-birthday bash of extraordinary magnitude. Cake was had, the G-Bros tradition of having a champaign cork shot at your backside was carried out in good humor, and a good time was had by all.
I was introduced to Toni, another Amity teacher. She and I quickly entered Geek Out mode and spent the next two hours communicating at near-light speed about a wide variety of topics. Always delighted to make a new geeky friend, we called the evening quits around the same time and walked each other home, until we had to go our separate ways, chatting all the time.
Back at home, I settled into sleep, eager to start the next day's journeys.
Sunday July 1st
Made myself some breakfast after a leisurely wake up and walked to the train. Clive caught up with me on the way in, and we realized we were cutting it a little close. As we neared the station, K phoned us and informed us of the impending departure of our train. We dashed with renewed vigor, myself being unable to hit the ATM on the way out of Hitachi, and managed to get to the platform on time.
The ride down was fairly sedate and uneventful. Fun conversation was had, about not much at all (mostly catching one another up on world events, rumor, and discussion). Myself, K, M-sensei, and Clive were the passengers on this, the first wave of the Gang down to Tokyo.
We decided to spend our pre-party hours in Akihabara, nerd-mecca of the Earth. This marked my 5th time in the district where anything, and I do mean anything, devoted to Nerdism may be bought, sold, traded, or stolen. I add stolen merely to bring awareness of the plight of the modern Akihabara-goer, who is plagued by many the cutpurse, sneakthief, or otherwise dastardly and uncouth rogue keen to lighten the shopping bags of the unsuspecting otaku.
The first order of business was food, as many of us had grown peckish on the ride down. The attempt to locate a suitable food joint was to prove somewhat frustrating, given the sheer diversity of our group (a midwesterner, a westerner/southerner, a south-Londer and a manchesterman) gave us all different appetites. After a solid half hour of wandering (past a large number of places that smelled superbly delicious) we settled on a kebab stand in what felt like the heart of Akihabara.
It was heaven. Delicious, juicy steak bits atop rice. The other fellows had a larger set, with half a chicken in addition to their rice/meat combo. We savored our delicious, protein-filled lunches. Three of us got items to go, and proceeded to investigate the shopping district for various and sundry purchases. M-sensei was in search of an MP3 player. Clive was looking for PSP media. K sought an adapter cable for a hard drive and a DS.
We walked up and down the strip, aided in our ambulations (ahh, alliteration) by the fact that most of the roads had been closed to road traffic, allowing pedestrians to cross at their leisure. After a few shops, I guided the group to the Yellow Submarine shop I'd found my last time here, with E.J. We met another group of Psi Us, against all probability, who included in our quick dialog directions to a tabletop gaming store. We had been there before, and had marveled at the row upon row of RPG books, in Japanese and (to our amazement) English.
This time around it was the other's turn to gawk at the tiny dollop of gaming squeezed into a space slightly larger than my apartment. I perused the English book section and found that they had a copy of the Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Master's Guide for Edition 3.5. It's price was a steal; only 2,500 yen. Converted to US Dollars, that is slightly over $20. After a short period of consideration, I snapped it up, realizing that a) I had no paper copies of *any* D&D books here, b) I don't even have the 3.5 DMG in America, and c) it was stupid cheap.
My backpack aglow with creative power and my new purchase, we strove ahead to Yodabashi Camera, stopping briefly to take in an adult novelty shop that was 4 stories high (that will be a tale to tell in person, as this is a family-friendly blog). Yodabashi Camera is, quite possibly, the biggest electronics store in the world. It's footprint is massive, easily several acres, and it's 7 or 8 stories tall. Huge.
We all came in, but after seeing the lines M-sensei and Clive decided to head outside to relax while K and I searched for his purchases. In the end, after lots of wandering and questioning and waiting in lines, we emerged victorious. K purchased a pink DS Lite and the perfect adapter cable (Serial ATA to something) for his system.
And then, we decided to go to Hiro-o, the location of the evening's main attraction; the Tokyo Absolut Ice Bar.
The Absolut Ice Bar is a bar, wherein one can purchase and enjoy adult beverages, that is made of ice. It is run by the makers of Absolut vodka. Shockingly, the adult beverages you enjoy at the Absolut Ice Bar are only those made by Absolut. Everything is ice; the walls, the furniture, the bar, even your glass, is made of clear ice. It is Flipping Sweet. Also, very cold. The whole place is kept at a toasty 5 degrees below zero, give or take, so long-term exposure is not advised. The bar staff provides you with a super-awesome space blanket poncho, complete with thick gloves and fur-lined hood, to keep you from dying of exposure. You enter the bar via a small airlock, really just a closet-sized room with two doors, so as to minimize heat bleeding.
As I said before, you can't spend too long in the ice bar, or else your body starts to become too cold. More immediately (to the hip, globe-trotting jetsetter mindset) is the limited amount of space within the bar itself. The constant refrigeration cost must be staggering, and thus the bar itself is quite small, perhaps twice the size of my apartment in square footage. This all boils down to two simple facts. One, you must have a reservation for the Ice Bar, 45 minutes max. Two, it's quite expensive. 3,500 yen gets you in the door and gives you one drink (and one ice-glass. If yours breaks or melts, you have to buy a new one to drink any more). Additional drinks are at a whopping 1,200 yen a pop, easily double the price of a beer at a normal bar.
Enough technicalities! We had a blast! My initial group arrived first, and spent a few minutes outside waiting for the rest of our group to show up. As our time window opened, we decided to go on in and wait for them inside. We paid the staff, slipped into our silvery ponchos, and headed into a frozen wonderland.
The ice is very clear. I'm not sure how one makes ice this clear, but there's no mistaking the clarity. There's a few cracks, some air bubbles and other signs of impurities, sure, but you can see through all of the ice. Really pretty. The bar was lit with soft white and blue lights diffused and filtered through the walls of ice, casting a soft, almost twilight glow through the small room. It was quiet, too; there was club music, but it was kept at a low level. The tables and chairs are all low to the ground, mostly to help with structural integrity I suppose, but there was a human-sized ice sculpture in the middle of the room to enjoy. Built into the walls were several modular ice sheets that had been engraved from the other side. What one sees, looking at these ice sheets from the bar side, is a reverse bas-relief. In ice. Quite beautiful. The sculptors included an ice-plaque, declaring that they also were responsible for one of the Ice Hotels. (Imagine the ice bar mentality enlarged, as if by a mad genius, into a hotel. Where you can sleep.)
The other half of our party arrived a few minutes after we did, and we proceeded to get down with our bad selves. Drinks were had, myself enjoying an Absolut Viking (Absolut vodka with grape juice...mmmm) and an Absolut Polaris (can't remember what was in it, but it went from yellow to blue and tasted like bananas and cream).
Many, many pictures were taken, and many jokes about the cold were told. One of the walls was carved into a mini luge for one's ice glasses, so the occasional brave soul would sling their drink through the wall via a winding downward slope. The glasses would become stuck, from time to time, much to the despair of the luge-ee and the amusement of the audience.
I met a couple in the bar, one of the few patrons not associated with our own birthday celebration. I cannot recall where they were from beyond "Tokyo", but they apparently were sharing their second date together. The male of the duo assured me, in a conspiratorial whisper, that they would enjoy certain adult activities later in the night. Hilarity.
As our time at the Ice Bar drew to a close we found ourselves the only patrons therein. The staff let us stay a little longer, to our simultaneous joy and frigidity. After an hour of freezing cold, we doffed our ponchos and wandered into the heat of a Tokyo summer night. Feeling the difference between the bar and the heat and humidity of the outside world was like being hit by a car made of swamp water. Warm and sticky and thick heat wrapped around us. It was quite a sensation.
It was now Monday.
Monday July 2nd
Our group wandered toward Roppongi Hills, the section of Tokyo where one may find a traditional "night club" scene. Never having attended such places in the States, it was a new experience for me (albeit not one I relished). We walked through and past a new tower, freshly constructed in the heart of Tokyo. It had some interesting neo-Egyptian architecture. Looked like something out of a movie.
Finally, we made it to Roppongi. For those of you who enjoy the night club scene, the next segment may hold particular mirth, given my utter inexperience with such activities. Keep in mind that I have, quite literally, never done this sort of thing before.
We walked along a strip of neon-daylight, propositioned at every street corner by handfuls of club barkers. This club was the best, no that one. This one has food, while this one has girls. The others of our group seemed giddy with choice. I simply saw an endless row of bars wherein there was space to dance. We finally settled on one, called "Club 911". At least the music was nice. We all proceeded to drink and dance, as conversation was impossible given the intense volume of the dance jams. I was flagging, my second wind having come and gone, and entered a sort of fugue state of existence. I recall dancing a few times, to the best of my ability, and enjoying a few (slightly cheaper, but not by much) drinks from the bar.
Several hours passed in this manner, until about 4ish in the morning. We quit the club, and after much hemming and hawing, the group split. My chunk was heading home, whilst the others were heading out to find more clubs and take in the fish market. I would have liked to see the fish market myself, but I was feeling pretty crappy, and I didn't want to do much more than sleep.
What followed was a blur of subway stops as we caught the first trains of the day. We worked our way through the Tokyo Underground, our group shedding numbers as others decided to do their own things while in Tokyo. K and myself were the last of our original "going the hell home now" group left when we finally got to Ueno, gateway station to Hitachi and all points northward.
K and I found a Limited Express train and settled into some booth seats to sleep the way home. Our train departed, and we began our long journey home. We slept and woke intermittently, our bodies demanding sleep but unable to relax completely. I kept waking up at just the right times; when some business men decided to share our booth, when we had to switch trains halfway through our ride, when we finally arrived at Hitachi. Hours after we'd left Ueno, almost a day after we'd set out from Hitachi, K and I made it back home.
K rode his bike home, whilst I caught a cab. I grabbed a quick shower to rinse the club gunk from my body, and collapsed into bed. It was not yet 9 A.M. I slept until 5 P.M. I began to write this blog post, but given the sheer volume of information it contains, it was written over the space of three separate sessions, stretched out over the course of a week's time.
And that is my adventure from last weekend, gentle reader. From June to July, it was a birthday celebration of epic, and quite chilly, proportions.
I shall write the next entry now, for this weekend. Huzzah!
Happy 4th of July to the other side of the world! For me, the 4th was yesterday. No celebrations were had here, but in my heart I thanked America for being so awesome, even if the current state of affairs is a bit mucky. I also wore my blue shirt and a red tie, so I was 2/3 patriotic.
Yet another fun-filled weekend was had last weekend. I'm getting closer to actually making more than one post a week. It's tricky to get into the habit of writing every day.
Saturday the 30th (of June)
G-Bros was hosting a private party, so the Gang had no where to go! Well, that's not true at all. Hitachi is crammed full of bars, you just need to know where to look. K found a nice place called The Second Earth. It had a little of everything. The front of the store was like a party-themed conbini, with drinks and snacks and widgets available for purchase before or after one came to the bar. The bar was nice, a solid thing of blonde pine, but the Gang opted to settle in one of the tables squeezed in the back.
As an aside, if you ever decide to come to Japan, realize that you will devote a lot of your brain power to wondering how they managed to do things. How did they move that huge table into this tiny space? Those decorations, are they purposefully set there, or have they accumulated by some bar-logic of kitch-growth?
Ahem. The Gang had already ordered food by the time I got in, but I had made dinner for myself before I left, so it was all good. We all had milkshakes, not wanting to get too blitzed before the night truly began at Bros. I had a berry blend, after sampling some of Claire's (Scottish girl) which was heavenly.
We stayed at Second Earth for a few hours, talking about this and that. My bike's rear tire had deflated (and still is, as of this writing, flat) due to a technical mixup I had with a recently-acquired bike pump. That conversation was fun. I can't recall much else of what we talked about. The upcoming trip to Tokyo, for Clive's birthday, was discussed briefly.
Around 11:30 or so we relocated to G-Bros. On the way out, while we settled our tab, one of the Gang, Matt, bought a truly ridiculously massive jar of peanut butter, citing the lack of said ridiculous size anywhere else in Japan, and his love for the stuff. Go Matt.
We got a back table at Bros and the preliminary birthday celebrations were had. Actually, if I recall, the Clive and (Amity) Mike both had their birthdays on Saturday, with the Tokyo trip being a post-birthday bash of extraordinary magnitude. Cake was had, the G-Bros tradition of having a champaign cork shot at your backside was carried out in good humor, and a good time was had by all.
I was introduced to Toni, another Amity teacher. She and I quickly entered Geek Out mode and spent the next two hours communicating at near-light speed about a wide variety of topics. Always delighted to make a new geeky friend, we called the evening quits around the same time and walked each other home, until we had to go our separate ways, chatting all the time.
Back at home, I settled into sleep, eager to start the next day's journeys.
Sunday July 1st
Made myself some breakfast after a leisurely wake up and walked to the train. Clive caught up with me on the way in, and we realized we were cutting it a little close. As we neared the station, K phoned us and informed us of the impending departure of our train. We dashed with renewed vigor, myself being unable to hit the ATM on the way out of Hitachi, and managed to get to the platform on time.
The ride down was fairly sedate and uneventful. Fun conversation was had, about not much at all (mostly catching one another up on world events, rumor, and discussion). Myself, K, M-sensei, and Clive were the passengers on this, the first wave of the Gang down to Tokyo.
We decided to spend our pre-party hours in Akihabara, nerd-mecca of the Earth. This marked my 5th time in the district where anything, and I do mean anything, devoted to Nerdism may be bought, sold, traded, or stolen. I add stolen merely to bring awareness of the plight of the modern Akihabara-goer, who is plagued by many the cutpurse, sneakthief, or otherwise dastardly and uncouth rogue keen to lighten the shopping bags of the unsuspecting otaku.
The first order of business was food, as many of us had grown peckish on the ride down. The attempt to locate a suitable food joint was to prove somewhat frustrating, given the sheer diversity of our group (a midwesterner, a westerner/southerner, a south-Londer and a manchesterman) gave us all different appetites. After a solid half hour of wandering (past a large number of places that smelled superbly delicious) we settled on a kebab stand in what felt like the heart of Akihabara.
It was heaven. Delicious, juicy steak bits atop rice. The other fellows had a larger set, with half a chicken in addition to their rice/meat combo. We savored our delicious, protein-filled lunches. Three of us got items to go, and proceeded to investigate the shopping district for various and sundry purchases. M-sensei was in search of an MP3 player. Clive was looking for PSP media. K sought an adapter cable for a hard drive and a DS.
We walked up and down the strip, aided in our ambulations (ahh, alliteration) by the fact that most of the roads had been closed to road traffic, allowing pedestrians to cross at their leisure. After a few shops, I guided the group to the Yellow Submarine shop I'd found my last time here, with E.J. We met another group of Psi Us, against all probability, who included in our quick dialog directions to a tabletop gaming store. We had been there before, and had marveled at the row upon row of RPG books, in Japanese and (to our amazement) English.
This time around it was the other's turn to gawk at the tiny dollop of gaming squeezed into a space slightly larger than my apartment. I perused the English book section and found that they had a copy of the Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Master's Guide for Edition 3.5. It's price was a steal; only 2,500 yen. Converted to US Dollars, that is slightly over $20. After a short period of consideration, I snapped it up, realizing that a) I had no paper copies of *any* D&D books here, b) I don't even have the 3.5 DMG in America, and c) it was stupid cheap.
My backpack aglow with creative power and my new purchase, we strove ahead to Yodabashi Camera, stopping briefly to take in an adult novelty shop that was 4 stories high (that will be a tale to tell in person, as this is a family-friendly blog). Yodabashi Camera is, quite possibly, the biggest electronics store in the world. It's footprint is massive, easily several acres, and it's 7 or 8 stories tall. Huge.
We all came in, but after seeing the lines M-sensei and Clive decided to head outside to relax while K and I searched for his purchases. In the end, after lots of wandering and questioning and waiting in lines, we emerged victorious. K purchased a pink DS Lite and the perfect adapter cable (Serial ATA to something) for his system.
And then, we decided to go to Hiro-o, the location of the evening's main attraction; the Tokyo Absolut Ice Bar.
The Absolut Ice Bar is a bar, wherein one can purchase and enjoy adult beverages, that is made of ice. It is run by the makers of Absolut vodka. Shockingly, the adult beverages you enjoy at the Absolut Ice Bar are only those made by Absolut. Everything is ice; the walls, the furniture, the bar, even your glass, is made of clear ice. It is Flipping Sweet. Also, very cold. The whole place is kept at a toasty 5 degrees below zero, give or take, so long-term exposure is not advised. The bar staff provides you with a super-awesome space blanket poncho, complete with thick gloves and fur-lined hood, to keep you from dying of exposure. You enter the bar via a small airlock, really just a closet-sized room with two doors, so as to minimize heat bleeding.
As I said before, you can't spend too long in the ice bar, or else your body starts to become too cold. More immediately (to the hip, globe-trotting jetsetter mindset) is the limited amount of space within the bar itself. The constant refrigeration cost must be staggering, and thus the bar itself is quite small, perhaps twice the size of my apartment in square footage. This all boils down to two simple facts. One, you must have a reservation for the Ice Bar, 45 minutes max. Two, it's quite expensive. 3,500 yen gets you in the door and gives you one drink (and one ice-glass. If yours breaks or melts, you have to buy a new one to drink any more). Additional drinks are at a whopping 1,200 yen a pop, easily double the price of a beer at a normal bar.
Enough technicalities! We had a blast! My initial group arrived first, and spent a few minutes outside waiting for the rest of our group to show up. As our time window opened, we decided to go on in and wait for them inside. We paid the staff, slipped into our silvery ponchos, and headed into a frozen wonderland.
The ice is very clear. I'm not sure how one makes ice this clear, but there's no mistaking the clarity. There's a few cracks, some air bubbles and other signs of impurities, sure, but you can see through all of the ice. Really pretty. The bar was lit with soft white and blue lights diffused and filtered through the walls of ice, casting a soft, almost twilight glow through the small room. It was quiet, too; there was club music, but it was kept at a low level. The tables and chairs are all low to the ground, mostly to help with structural integrity I suppose, but there was a human-sized ice sculpture in the middle of the room to enjoy. Built into the walls were several modular ice sheets that had been engraved from the other side. What one sees, looking at these ice sheets from the bar side, is a reverse bas-relief. In ice. Quite beautiful. The sculptors included an ice-plaque, declaring that they also were responsible for one of the Ice Hotels. (Imagine the ice bar mentality enlarged, as if by a mad genius, into a hotel. Where you can sleep.)
The other half of our party arrived a few minutes after we did, and we proceeded to get down with our bad selves. Drinks were had, myself enjoying an Absolut Viking (Absolut vodka with grape juice...mmmm) and an Absolut Polaris (can't remember what was in it, but it went from yellow to blue and tasted like bananas and cream).
Many, many pictures were taken, and many jokes about the cold were told. One of the walls was carved into a mini luge for one's ice glasses, so the occasional brave soul would sling their drink through the wall via a winding downward slope. The glasses would become stuck, from time to time, much to the despair of the luge-ee and the amusement of the audience.
I met a couple in the bar, one of the few patrons not associated with our own birthday celebration. I cannot recall where they were from beyond "Tokyo", but they apparently were sharing their second date together. The male of the duo assured me, in a conspiratorial whisper, that they would enjoy certain adult activities later in the night. Hilarity.
As our time at the Ice Bar drew to a close we found ourselves the only patrons therein. The staff let us stay a little longer, to our simultaneous joy and frigidity. After an hour of freezing cold, we doffed our ponchos and wandered into the heat of a Tokyo summer night. Feeling the difference between the bar and the heat and humidity of the outside world was like being hit by a car made of swamp water. Warm and sticky and thick heat wrapped around us. It was quite a sensation.
It was now Monday.
Monday July 2nd
Our group wandered toward Roppongi Hills, the section of Tokyo where one may find a traditional "night club" scene. Never having attended such places in the States, it was a new experience for me (albeit not one I relished). We walked through and past a new tower, freshly constructed in the heart of Tokyo. It had some interesting neo-Egyptian architecture. Looked like something out of a movie.
Finally, we made it to Roppongi. For those of you who enjoy the night club scene, the next segment may hold particular mirth, given my utter inexperience with such activities. Keep in mind that I have, quite literally, never done this sort of thing before.
We walked along a strip of neon-daylight, propositioned at every street corner by handfuls of club barkers. This club was the best, no that one. This one has food, while this one has girls. The others of our group seemed giddy with choice. I simply saw an endless row of bars wherein there was space to dance. We finally settled on one, called "Club 911". At least the music was nice. We all proceeded to drink and dance, as conversation was impossible given the intense volume of the dance jams. I was flagging, my second wind having come and gone, and entered a sort of fugue state of existence. I recall dancing a few times, to the best of my ability, and enjoying a few (slightly cheaper, but not by much) drinks from the bar.
Several hours passed in this manner, until about 4ish in the morning. We quit the club, and after much hemming and hawing, the group split. My chunk was heading home, whilst the others were heading out to find more clubs and take in the fish market. I would have liked to see the fish market myself, but I was feeling pretty crappy, and I didn't want to do much more than sleep.
What followed was a blur of subway stops as we caught the first trains of the day. We worked our way through the Tokyo Underground, our group shedding numbers as others decided to do their own things while in Tokyo. K and myself were the last of our original "going the hell home now" group left when we finally got to Ueno, gateway station to Hitachi and all points northward.
K and I found a Limited Express train and settled into some booth seats to sleep the way home. Our train departed, and we began our long journey home. We slept and woke intermittently, our bodies demanding sleep but unable to relax completely. I kept waking up at just the right times; when some business men decided to share our booth, when we had to switch trains halfway through our ride, when we finally arrived at Hitachi. Hours after we'd left Ueno, almost a day after we'd set out from Hitachi, K and I made it back home.
K rode his bike home, whilst I caught a cab. I grabbed a quick shower to rinse the club gunk from my body, and collapsed into bed. It was not yet 9 A.M. I slept until 5 P.M. I began to write this blog post, but given the sheer volume of information it contains, it was written over the space of three separate sessions, stretched out over the course of a week's time.
And that is my adventure from last weekend, gentle reader. From June to July, it was a birthday celebration of epic, and quite chilly, proportions.
I shall write the next entry now, for this weekend. Huzzah!
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