Andy's Jap Blog

Oh!

2009-08-22T23:49:00.002+09:00

Oh dear, it looks like it's been a good 3 months or so since the last post... :(

If anyone is still out there, I will get around to doing a proper post soon, honest...

In the meantime, here are two videos about gyoza (gyoza being very delicious Chinese dumpling-things). I find them both almost as catchy as I find gyoza delicious. Gyo-gyo-gyo-gyoooooza!

I am hungry now :(

May

2009-05-29T22:08:00.007+09:00

Oops, looks like my plan to keep a journal of my golden week activities didn't quite come to fruition. Probably because I ended up not doing anything remotely interesting, and it rained. Oh well!

I have been doing remotely interesting things since golden week though, including going to numerous parties, playing guitar at a session thingy in a town called Tsu (great name, I think) and general hanging out...so I do have a social life! Honest!!

I also went with a couple of friends to a weekend long rawk festival on the beach at Mikawa-Toba, near Toyohashi (which is kind of near Nagoya) which was a lot of fun...but it rained. Oh how it rained. In fact on Saturday it did nothing but rain, hard.

I have some photos on Facebook but I'm not sure how to show them to regular internet folk without e-mailing them individually and I'm too lazy to work it out. Can someone tell me?

I got to hang out with rock stars last Friday when some members of US band The Graves Brothers Deluxe came to Nagoya to play a show with two Japanese guitarists and I somehow ended up drinking with them until early the next morning. Get me and my showbiz connections. On the right we see the impressive coiffure of Kawabata-san from Japanese band Acid Mothers Temple. And someone called Yoko, who fell asleep and who I didn't get much of a chance to speak to. Sorry Yoko.

On sunday I am thinking of going to Tokyo for the day. A friend of mine told me about this rather delightful museum. I'm definitely getting t-shirts!!

I see from their access page that there's a restaurant right across the road...I'll bet they do a brisk trade!

Golden Week Day 1

2009-05-02T22:39:00.005+09:00

I've been enjoying a belated easter thanks to my lovely sister Nicola, who sent me lots of chocolate. Thanks Nic!

She also graciously enclosed a card, the envelope of which I have scanned for posterity's sake and posted left. It may look like a Beat Happening album cover drawn by a borderline psychotic but it is in fact my sister's hand-rendering of my immediate family. Either way I'm very touched and I'm sure she'll be honored to know that it will now live on in digital form. Thanks again Nic, and I particularly like Dad's Simon Cowell-style trouser action.

Today was the first day of Golden Week, i.e. three public hoildays, i.e. I'm off work until next Thursday. I spent it by sleeping until roughly midday, then going out and about, first to a Golden Week record fair in Kanayama. I went to the same thing last year so if you can be arsed looking up my posts from last May I probably wrote something about it then. If you're interested in record fairs in Kanayama, that is. Which you're not.

After several hours of "digging" I went to a second-hand bicycle shop and after several hours banter/rambling with the lovely proprieter got a new (old) bike. It beats the creaky-momochari-with-flat-tire-that-I'm-too-lazy-to-get-repaired that I've had until now hands down (it has gears! gears!) so tomorrow I think I'd quite like to go a-cycling somewhere. I just don't really know where yet. Or what kind of time I'll be able to drag my sorry carcass out of bed. Still, watch this space.

In fact (and NOT because I have nothing better to do...honest) I'm quite tempted to give you all a day-by-day account of my Golden Week goings-on. So stay tuned and I'll see you again tomorrow!!!!!!

My dad is holding a sponsored "moonlight stroll" through the streets of Oxford in memory of my mum and in order to raise funds for her hospice (which is run as a charity). Should anyone be so lovely as to want to sponsor him (it's a very worthy cause!), go here:

http://www.justgiving.com/rayfarmer

Go on, I'll give a you hug if you do. (geographical location permitting)

Can't think of a title

2009-04-12T23:42:00.017+09:00

Thanks for your comments! (((hugs)))

I went to a spring festival in Kakuozan (a part of Nagoya) on Sunday. Lots of stalls featuring homemade arts and crafts and such, and one featuring the frankly baffling Orepanda (オレパンダー, see left). Those ears are stuck to his head with suction cups, which I found oddly impressive. His website (Japanese) lists such details as his "special moves" ("Panda-blade", "Orepanda-vacuum" etc). Once again I shall leave you, the humble reader, to draw your own conclusions. Thx to Eiko for letting me steal her picture.

A nice man came round from NHK (Japan's main broadcasting company) the other weekend to explain that I have to pay them a small amount each month for the priviledge of having a TV (I finally got round to buying one last December), not unlike the TV Licensing system in the UK (but NHK have commercials! What am I paying for???). So I thought I'd better actually make use of the thing, and subsequently I've been watching more TV. However, for some reason I often wind up watching home shopping (Japan has QVC as it turns out)...there's just something incredibly relaxing about it, and since everyone speaks quite deliberately and there's no background noise the presenters are often easy to understand (and kinda cute as it happens).

Also, I've been watching an inexplicably large amount of UK comedy panel shows (Mock the Week, Would I Lie to You? etc.) and the like on the Interweb. Unfortunately a lot of the news items and such that are discussed are way over my head (Gordon Brown? Who he??) and there still seems to be a distressing amount of national interest in and discussion of Big Brother, which I didn't give a rat's arse about when I lived in the UK and I certainly don't now that I live on the other side of the planet. Many other facets of UK celebrity culture elude me as well...I recall having to ask my family who Kerry Katona was while I was in the UK. But, if I remember correctly, that was part of the reason I wanted to leave the UK in the first place...to get away from the Big Brothers, the Jamie Olivers, the Simon Cowells etc. etc. and to just go somewhere where the mass media can't really effect me because I don't understand it. At least out here I can filter my English-language cultural intake...I'm generally informed about the stuff that's worth watching by my lovely family and UK friends, and it surfaces online or on DVD eventually...and I'm in much less danger of having Jamie Oliver's spittle-flecked mong face rammed down my throat by some Sainsbury's commercial. Win win!

Having said that, as a somewhat inevitable result of my re-kindling of UK TV viewing, I find myself completely, passionately mystified as to why Tara Palmer-bloody-Tompkinson keeps getting TV work. She's appeared in several things I watched recently, and...she's just shit. So, maybe we are all born to be water-cooler TV critics on some fundamental level.

Flight of the Conchords has been a recent favorite as well. I learnt to play "Bret You've Got it Going On" on guitar. Because I'm slightly sad. OK, not slightly, very. Gotta love those jazz chords though.

As some of you may know, I spent February in the UK. I came back to find that my local supermarket had changed name to Piago, and that they have a Piago "theme song" that they play often over the in-store PA, in between bursts of the incredibly heinous muzak Japanese supermarkets seem to favor (and I mean heinous. Surely the point of in-store music is to enhance the shopping experience, not to send the customers fleeing to the doors in terror, as I often feel like doing whenever a shotgun suicide-inducingly bad elevator-music version of, I don't know, "Sweet Child of Mine" or something starts spewing from the speakers??).

Anyway, the Piago song is very jolly and catchy and I find myself smiling everytime it comes on. Possibly because there is something wrong with my head. Anyway, you can hear a snatch of it on this commericial. Everybody! Kokoro-no-pia-pia-pi-a-gohhhh...sing damn you!

April 18th is Record Store day (worldwide? they have it in Japan and the UK, I know that much). So go buy records you swine!!

Crap Fact 'o' the Day

2009-04-07T20:34:00.008+09:00

VW camper vans and Mini Coopers are apparently very popular with the retro hipster crowd here, despite the fact that they're a bit shit and keep breaking down all the time (the cars, not the retro hipster crowd).

By the way, is "Beetle Bus" commonly accepted nomenclature? It is here, anyway. I certainly hadn't heard it until a friend was explaining their popularity. I thought she was talking about Magical Mystery Tour or something until she drew me a picture.

While we're on the theme of Crap ___ 'o' the Day, Crap Album Cover 'o' the Day ("crap" in this case meaning more "lo-fi" than "bad") goes to Jap group Kabemimi for their new CD-R opus Yokujou Shita Inu (Desired Dog), see right, which somehow manages to be simultaneously cute, funny and downright creepy. Like a fair amount of Japanese culture, in fact.

Year 3

2009-04-06T22:14:00.005+09:00

Saturday marked my 3rd anniversary of being here!　　Banzai!

I have spent most of the last week at work translating a manual about off-road driving techniques. Which is about as exciting as it sounds. I enjoy translation though, and would kind of like to do it professionally even though it makes my head hurt sometimes. So it's all good. What's kind of depressing about translating for a big company though is seeing your handiwork go off to be run through several committees or what have you, who will no doubt have their evil ways with it, stripping the thing of the nuance, prose stylings and distinctive authorial voice I spent so many hours instilling it with. Honestly, these people just have no respect for the struggling artiste. Actually it's probably a good thing in this case since I stuck quite closely to the original Japanese for safety's sake and due to a lack of time, and Japanese manuals never seem to be written with brevity or readability in mind. Strange that.

So if you buy a Land Cruiser Prado next year and it has a manual about off-road driving, that's my handiwork right there! Well, some of it. In there somewhere. Perhaps. I really don't know.

I went a-wondering around Atsuta Jinja (a shrine in Nagoya) on Sunday and saw the statue pictured above. Frankly I'm none the wiser so I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions. The characters below seem to denote it as some kind of "monument to spectacles". Hmm. Nice tits though. And it would look bitchin' in my apartment.

Shameless nepotism

2009-04-06T21:04:00.004+09:00

Why not read my brother-in-law Gareth's music blog?

http://howlifeshouldsound.com/

Hello

2009-04-01T00:00:00.009+09:00

Well, I thought it was time to try and start this thing up again, so here goes. I won't go into the reasons for my absence since most of you know what's been happening and the rest probably don't care. And because the title is "Andy's Jap Blog", not "Andy's Blog 'O' Misery". Anyway whatever, I'm back to spew my creative juices onto the Interweb, so let's see what kind of wonderful mess they make.

While we're on the subject (of the blog name, not my juices) I really think I ought to change the name of this thing. Calling it my "Jap" blog seems somewhat constrictive in that I can only post about my life here in Japan, when, obviously, I have a whole universe of other thoughts and wisdom to share. But the only other name I can come up with is the deeply unimaginative "Andy's Blog", which, frankly, is a bit shit. Or there's "Taking it up the Archipelago", which I like but which might sound more than a little gay. So I'm open to suggestions.

In the meantime this blog is under construction as I fiddle with new templates and generally try to update it.

Sakura season is upon us once again! If only it was like this all year round. Hey ho. I did something slightly trainspotter-esque over the weekend for the sake of exploration...I travelled to the north-east of Nagoya (not a hugely taxing journey, considering that I live in the south-east of Nagoya) solely for the purpose of riding the Linimo train line. Linimo is a mag-lev (i.e. a train that is levitated and propelled by a magnetic rail, instead of using wheels). As I boarded I could tell that I was taking a ride...into the future!! Yes, it was next stop year 3000 as I glided (glid?) along on my cushion of magnets. Everything on board is completely automated and the train itself glides like...a thing...through...an analogy. Either way it was well swish, and hopefully I'll find an excuse to ride it again sometime soon.

Yesterday I went to see a live show by Doravideo, aka Yoshimitsu Ishiraku, a jolly chap who somehow looks like he should be a bouncer. He's also a kind of multimedia drummer who connects his drum kit to to some convoluted piece of technology which then projects video images onto a screen in sync with his drumming, accompanied by music. The use of video allows him to work in numerous political and pop culture references (many of which went way over my head), such as a song centered around an old commercial for a bathroom air freshner and another showing looping images of KISS. He played an enormously effective duet with Katsui Yuuji, a rail-thin electric violinist who somehow looks like he should be a science teacher. Really excellent stuff, none of the videos I found online really do them justice so you'll have to take my word for it I guess. I should point out that the above picture isn't mine.

Still alive

2008-12-09T20:36:00.010+09:00

I took some photos of the Christmas illuminations at Nagoya station, they're very nice, if usually a little crowded...

http://photozou.jp/photo/list/154073/681560

So...what else have I been up to? Hmmm...

Bought a new phone, finally...it's very swish...interested parties can check it out here. No, I didn't get an iPhone, I have my reasons, mostly financial...

Been going to some gigs...fascinated though I'm sure you all are by my gigging activities...most recent was last Friday when I went to the rather tiny KD Japon to see some young fellows with very interesting haircuts named Gegegege Quartet (they're a trio). I felt kinda bad, they were fantastic and energetic but there were about 15 ppl in the audience (due largely to the size of the venue)...one can only applaud so loudly. That's them in the photo...love the Wu Tang shirts! Also on the bill were two performance artists and a group of studenty types who had a naivete vaguely reminiscent of Maher Shalal Hash Baz (at least in my head they did).

Also went to see ex-Boredoms guitarist Seiichi Yamamoto and, in late Sept., a very enjoyable collaboration between Nagoya's own Acid Mothers Temple and Osaka noise legends Hijokaidan...a gig that was flimed and has since been released on DVD...will get my hands on it to check if I am at all visible! (I was down the front, hehe). I actually filmed the entire gig myself from the mosh pit (such as it was) on my little digital camera, only to accidentally delete the main chunk of video in a frantic attempt to make space on the memory card for post-show photos. Curse you cruel fate!

Sorry for the gig reports but I felt compelled to write something, and writing about music is much more enjoyable than laying my daily life bare for the Internet to peruse! So you can just go away.

Back in the UK 19th Dec - 2nd Jan!

Hello (again)

2008-11-02T22:55:00.002+09:00

Just a quick note to let the world know that I'm not dead! Hooray!

Life over the last few months has been simultaneously completely different yet also completely familiar. New and scary problems that I have no experience of coping with, and the occasional new personal contact, contrasted with the same-old-same-old workaday world (I still live and work in Japan by the way, just in case you've lost the plot by now). Life's rich tapestry, yadayada.

Well, gotta Keep on Truckin' (© 1968). Went to a Halloween party at Yamasa (that's the Japanese school I used to go to) last Friday, had lots of fun, drank too much (the Yamasa bar sells Guinness! And at a fairly reasonable price (for Japan anyway)), saw people I hadn't seen in donkey's years, etc. Many interesting costumes on display, and how many chances do you get to see the lovely Yamaguchi-sensei in a bright red clown wig? (no pictures, sorry, try some other Yamasa student blog). I keep meaning to go there often since I have an almost familial connection with the place. But it's sooo far and I'm sooo lazy :(

It's been work visa renewal time and for the umpteenth time I'm amazed at the efficiency of Japanese administration and public service in general. It came through in a coupla weeks which I'm sure puts most dirty foreigners to shame. Plus Nagoya Immigration has moved to a brand new building (which, sadly, is twice as far away from where I live as the last location) which is all shiny and nice and has a Lawson (convenience store) on the 2nd floor! Yes, inside the building itself! Thrice huzzah for beauraucracy!

Unfortunately the process necessiated a trip to the Tenpaku-ward (the part of Nagoya I live in) town hall thingy one morning before work to get a form stating how much tax I've paid, which was slightly more dingy. And no convenience store. Can't win em all huh.

Hello

2008-09-30T21:22:00.002+09:00

Anyone still read this? Must be a record for non-posting...

Several major things/problems going on in my life right now...lots of stresses to bear, adjustments to make, changes to undergo...but I know that whatever happens I will come through them, and come through them a stronger and more complete person :)

But right now I've gotta sleeeep...

Watermelon Flavoured Kit-Kat

2008-07-24T21:58:00.001+09:00

Verdict: Surprisingly good

Oh the humidity!

2008-07-06T21:58:00.004+09:00

July is here and the air is full of moisture and horrible biting insects. Other than that, not much of note happening really. Mindbendingly slow week at work, but went to a welcoming party on Friday.

Went walking round Osu Kannon (a lively shopping district-type part of Nagoya) with a friend yesterday. We found a tattoo parlor named, I kid you not, "Boobies". The mind boggles. Despite the name, they showed no evidence of any kind of specialization in mammarian tattooing. Why not visit their website? (beware, crappy flash intro)

The government has evidently started a campaign to promote rice as a breakfast food, as a bowl of rice in the morning is said to improve energy levels and concentration throughout the day. I can't decide if their campaign is cute and funny, or just scary. Either way there's more wackiness to be had on the Ministry of Agriculture's website (and you can view the TV spots here).

Hello

2008-06-24T22:07:00.004+09:00

How is everyone?

My 3rd summer in Japan is looming ominously on the horizon...we are currently in the rainy season and the heat/humidity/sweatiness levels are well and truly on the rise...I am slowly becoming more and more thankful that I will be spending the majority of the summer in a nice air-conditioned office. My blood's too thick for Nevada, er Nagoya. Always work a Hunter S. Thompson quote in if you can, that's what I say.

Still, the evenings are rather pleasant so I walk home after work most evenings. Which reminds me...I have created a short Google maps tour of my immediate surroundings. Check it yo!

Also, against my better judgement, I have uploaded several photographs taken by myself during work outings.

I seem to be reading random Wikipedia articles in my idle moments (yeah, I know, it's inaccurate, but I never remember the details so who cares, hehe). I happened across the story of abandoned former coal mining facility Hashima Island (aka Battleship Island, pic left) and found it quite interesting. It's probably, like, a metaphor and stuff. Gnarly slideshow and more sober description here.

Also, I hate to sound like the Wikipedia front page, but did you know that Japan still has the death penalty (for homicide and treason only)? I didn't, until they hanged a 1980s serial killer shortly after the recent Akihabara massacre.

Reporting in

2008-06-08T22:54:00.008+09:00

Evening all!

The weather is slowly but surely increasing in temperature...as is the humidity...luckily I have my new Hello Kitty hand fan to keep me cool (see left...maybe you can't quite tell from the photo but she has a fan in her head...yes I was slightly drunk at the time of purchase, thanks to a friend's leaving party at work...it's amazing what they sell in convenience stores nowadays).

Just got finished watching a very bizarre movie (Japanese movie? Bizarre? Surely not) named Party 7, lent to me by my lovely workmate Ikeda-san. Plenty enjoyable though, especially Captain Banana. Also made me want to watch more Japanese movies, for language acquisition purposes. If anyone has any recommendations, let me know.

Still buying records on occasion. Whereas everyone else is clamoring after the latest iPod Nano or what have you, I seem to have gone in completely the opposite direction. I am consistently amazed at how collectible certain slabs of vinyl can be...rooting around in a used record store earlier today, I saw one record displayed with a 100,000yen price tag (about $1000 USD)...it seemed to be some hideously obscure private pressing put out by an avant-garde theater troupe in the 1970s...scary. I've been playing a slightly less rare 1976 LP by sultry chanteuse Yoshiko Sai (佐井好子) rather a lot recently...very lovely, comes heartily recommended if anyone out there fancies hunting down the CD re-issue...

Been playing lots of Nintendo DS games (I'm quite tempted to buy a Wii but I'd have to get a TV first)...including a rhythm game for children based around the vaguely disturbing anime character oshirikajirimushi (ass-biting insect):

Word o' the day

2008-05-21T21:22:00.004+09:00

The Japanese word for "solar eclipse" - 日食　（にっしょく） - consists of the characters for "sun" and "eat", thus evoking a sense of the sun being eaten rather than obscured. Well, I thought it was interesting anyway.

If any of my Chinese-speaking friends still read this thing, perhaps you could tell me if the word comes from Chinese? Is it rooted in mythology? Perhaps the ancient Chinese saw an eclipse as the sun being eaten by a huge dragon or something? Hello?

On a completely unrelated note: http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/05/21/lost.parrot.ap/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

Yamasa

2008-05-19T20:08:00.008+09:00

You may be aware that I spent a year and half at the Yamasa Institute in Okazaki; and since including my e-mail address in the little box over to the left there I have received literally several messages from prospective Yamasa students asking me questions about the school and the experience in general. So I thought it was time to look back and collect my thoughts on my time there.

I started at Yamasa in April 2006, with the vague intention of studying there for 6 months. It was a big life change for me - I had barely even traveled outside of the UK, let alone lived in a foreign country - so naturally I was a little apprehensive. I had saved my pennies for over a year and had decided to blow them on six months in a foreign country studying funny squiggly characters and talking to people badly in their native language, which seemed very silly. If you ask me why I came here (many people do) it's hard to give a clear-cut answer even 2 years down the line, so I often don't. But in reality it sprang from desires to get out of a rut, gain life experience, overcome shyness, meet new people, and learn a valuable skill to boot.

As a life experience, it strikes me that life in a foreign country is something that is so different, you will never know how you personally will react to it until you actually go ahead and do it. That was certainly the case with me. And that sucks. Some people wind up hating it, some people can't adjust, some people are overcome with homesickness...how do you know if you are one of these people? Well, you're asking the wrong person. However I will venture the opinion that, if you don't have a solely superficial interest* but you are genuinely interested in the culture and the language and in the chance of living abroad and learning a new language and progressing personally, that you are (IMHO) more likely to have a rewarding time here (please note: this statement is in no way legally binding).

*(I was originally tempted to insert a parenthetical rant about anime nerds, geeky white guys who like Asian women a little too much, internet forum-dwelling Hello Kitty masturbators with anime avatars who shop at J-list and whose online posts contain "OMG kawaii desudesu ^_____^ arigato gozaimasu", and other lamentable pieces of fallout of the explosion in popularity of Japanese culture in the west; but I am painfully aware that, as a westerner with an interest in Japanese culture, anything I write will be at least tinged with hypocrisy, and this is neither the time nor place. So I think I've dodged a bullet with that one, eh?)

Anyway, editorializing aside, you've decided to take the plunge and study Japanese at Yamasa. Go you. The school, in general, is fantastic. It's small(ish), the teachers and staff are generally wonderful and cuddly and know what they're doing. I think it's an excellent, enjoyable place to learn beginner- and intermediate-level Japanese (I personally think the advanced levels could use some work, but then I think that advanced level stuff can't really be taught from books but should rather be acquired). There's a real community feel to the place (in fact, once you move outside of the school and into "real" Japanese society you come to realize that Yamasa is almost a kind of porously-sealed gaijin-oriented commune, protecting its charges from the scarier aspects of real life in Japan). Of course, there's the possibility that you'll be incompatible with a certain teacher or staff member, but that's life. Most people, with a lot of personal effort, will be able to attain a good level of Japanese there in a relatively short time (relative to, say, studying by yourself or studying outside of Japan). And Okazaki is a nice place to live, though some may find it slightly dull (in which case go and "study" in Osaka or Tokyo or somewhere, you big party animal you).

Finance is a problem for many and will require lots of careful consideration (unless you're being bank-rolled by your uber-rich parents or something, natch). It is very possible for native English-speakers to land teaching positions (even with no experience), but many people who work enough to be able to subsist without external assistance often seem to do so at the detriment of their study time, free time, and sanity.

And yes, it's not an easy language to learn by any means (espeically for westerners, and the written language in particular)...I've been here for 2 years and I still feel like I know nothing...but if you don't do things because they're hard you'll never get anywhere. Frustration definitely set in for me (feel free to look back over some of my previous posts), and it seems to affect most people, albeit at different times and in different ways. For me it started after about 10-12 months and seemed to manifest itself as a reduced ability to learn new things and think clearly. Personally I wouldn't recommend spending more than a year at Yamasa unless you're the sort of person who can withstand that kind of prolonged intense study. And don't get down because you can't read Japanese fluently even after one or two years. The writing system is completely retarded and (if you are a westerner) your brain is not naturally programmed to accept it. God alone knows how long it would take, 5 years perhaps? Less with solid practice? And the writing...don't expect to be able to write Japanese fluently any time in the next decade unless you're some kind of shodo freak who practices every hour god sends. If you didn't learn to write kanji as a child, you probably ain't gonna, with any degree of comfort (that's OK though, because in this age of the personal computer, you probably won't ever need to able to write spectacularly well, even if you live in Japan...I only ever handwrite my address and occasional memos at work). But of course, everyone learns language at a different rate, so feel free to ignore me.

Also, if you don't have any hard reasons, try to ask yourself...why do you want to learn Japanese? Why do you want to devote precious time and hard-earned money to the study of this language? Are you mad? This language is insane. Sure, Japanese culture is popular now, and everyone wants to watch anime without subtitles or play Final Fantasy before it's released in the west or wants to understand J-Pop lyrics etc (oh god I'm ranting again) but these are superficial reasons that don't (IMHO) warrant you investing the sort of time, money and effort necessary to learning Japanese well. Maybe you'll be jaded and cynical toward Japanese culture by the time you achieve any kind of fluency. And if you're thinking from a business standpoint, surely Chinese is a better option? I don't want to sound negative, or make it sound like I made a mistake in choosing to spend so much time and money learning Japanese, because the personal progression I've made, the life experiences I've gained and the multitudinous people I've met over the last 2 years tell me quite definitely otherwise. I'm just saying it's something that should be carefully thought about.

Anyway, hopefully this long, pointless screed will be of benefit to someone. Feel free to get in touch with comments or questions (as long as they aren't the kind of questions that can be answered by reading the Yamasa website). Thanks!

GW

2008-05-05T21:15:00.005+09:00

It is Golden Week here in Japan (a consecutive series of bank holidays kinda thing)...though for me it's more of a Golden two days...back to work on Wednesday...either way I have free time on my hands so I thought I'd try and post something here.

It's strange...not to go off on a tangent or anything, but I was just ruminating on how my lovely but recently removed friend John-san uses his blog as an opportunity to practice his written Japanese...and I do pretty much the exact opposite. By which I mean, living and working in Japan, I relish the chance to write something in English, and this blog (when I can be bothered) serves as an outlet to that end. Well, I say that, but actually I'm just incredibly lazy about learning Japanese. So it goes.

Anyway, Golden Week! Whoop-ola!

Since getting some scratch together (a wonderous thing after a year and a half of studentitude) I've been somewhat indulging my irrational love of peculiar Japanese musics...in other words I am slowly becoming a vinyl otaku...to that end I attended a record fair in Kanayama this weekend and spent far too much money on crusty slabs of wax. Though, even saying this, I must commend myself on my restraint, I could quite easily have spent 5 times the amount I did (there was a copy of a hideously rare Tolerance side! On Vanity Records! In practically mint condition! And Kan Mikami's first LP as well!!! And that JA Seazer LP...and and and good God but I need a girlfriend).

While we're on the subject, some time ago I tried starting a music blog, but then kinda lost interest...maybe I'll do something with it...I've got a ton of stuff that I have an irrational urge to post about...http://musicsfromjapan.blogspot.com/

By the way, some tool keeps posting spam comments on my blog with links to pr0n sites...so, if you see a comment posted by someone you don't know...er, stay in school...etc)

昭和の日 / Showa day

2008-04-29T21:31:00.003+09:00

Today was Showa day here in Japan. Showa day is a national holiday originally started to celebrate the birthday of Emperor Hirohito, and therefore is something of a controversial subject. But to me it just means *no work*!

As the weather was somewhat clement I decided to go on a little cycle tour of Nagoya, going west from my home in Hirabari, through Yagoto, Imaike, Sakae, Tsurumai, and back home again (also taking in lots of other places most people reading this will probably never have heard of).

I also thought I'd give the new camera a work-out...you can view the results here. They're not enormously interesting but they might give you some idea of my surroundings. Plus I've been too lazy to work out how to use my camera properly so I just jammed it into "simple mode" and let it do it's own thang.

大掃除 / Spring cleaning

2008-04-21T22:10:00.007+09:00

春だよ！　晴れだよ！　ビールだよ！　よしっ！　（でも、もうすぐ夏になっちゃう。。。実を言ったら夏、あまり好きではないし。。。頑張ってね、アンディーさん　-_-; )

で、僕のアパートがすごいゴチャゴチャになっちゃったら、「大掃除をしよう」っていう気がしてきた。　今やっているところだ。。。（無精）

ちなみに、新しいデジカメをゲットした　^^ 　もうすぐ、無暗に写真を貼るかも！

リサイクルショップで、ヘンな形のラジオもゲットした(写真は下記）。。。ちょっと怪しいかな。。。

Spring has most definitely sprung here and my apartment is a complete tip, so I have requisitioned an emergency sort-and-file on its ass. Therefore I am too far up to my elbows in suds 'n' grime to post much.

Also, I have (finally) bought a new camera! My previous one steadfastly refused to take non-blurry photographs in anything other than outdoor, daylight conditions...so expect a plethora of photographic wonderments to be posted here!

And finally...not to sound like a bad submission to "That's Life" but I was poking around in my local 2nd-hand store thing this evening and I found an AM/FM radio of a somewhat peculiar design...not to offend readers of a somewhat more delicate sensibility, but upon viewing it I was immediately reminded of a certain personal hygiene implement, the name of which begins with "d"...I present a photograph (together with instruction manual) for your perusal below...

The speaker is on the underside, and the, er, "nozzle" serves as an FM antenna.

Hanami　・　花見

2008-04-11T23:48:00.002+09:00

Went to Tsurumai Park in Nagoya last Friday with a group from work for the annual hanami celebrations. Hanami is a traditional celebration of the annual blooming of sakura (cherry blossom). Nowadays this celebration usually consists of going somewhere with lots of sakura trees with a group of friends and/or workmates, sitting beneath said trees, and drinking large quantities of alcohol. Which, if you ask me, is as good a way as any of ushering in the spring.

Whilst indulging in a good deal of "nommunication" I was informed of something of which I wasn't previously aware...namely that the Japanese see the sakura, which is only in bloom for a number of weeks, as metaphor for the transient, ephemeral nature of life, possibly reflecting the Buddhist influence on the Japanese belief system. Also, the symbolism of the sakura was exploited during WWII, as a means of representing the transient nature of the lives of kamikaze pilots.

My workmate Ikeda-san took some fantastic photos of the proceedings, which I have uploaded here for your viewing pleasure (it's all in Japanese but you should be able to navigate OK).

While I'm on the subject...I went to Nakatsugawa to walk a part of the Nakasendo (an historic road-thing) with my lovely workmate Ikeda-san (a different one...I work with 3 separate Ikeda-sans) and her parents...I took some photos on the way, they're not as interesting as the sakura photos but I've put them here if you wanna have a look.

Fun with commuting

2008-04-11T21:01:00.004+09:00

Here's a video that's somewhat painful to watch! (don't worry it's not pr0n)

http://www.chilloutzone.de/files/08040701.html

An extreme example of course, but still...apparently the average daily commute of those working in Tokyo (I'm assuming that's Tokyo in the video) is around 2 hours. Once again I am thankful that I live and work in roughly the middle of nowhere (somehow I can't quite picture the good old Meitetsu Toyota-sen (the line I take to work) ever getting quite that bad) and that I work for a company open-minded enough to operate flex-time (meaning that I can avoid busy periods, and also meaning that I can spend those precious, precious extra minutes/hours in bed in the morning).

Haven't had a dumb cat picture in a while so here's a pile of the bastards:

Word o' the day

2008-04-11T20:09:00.002+09:00

Adding weight to the old maxim that the Japanese have a word for everything:

ツレション　(tsureshon) : (noun, vulg) accompaniment to the bathroom; group urination (short for 連れ小便)

擬態語・擬音語

2008-04-09T20:37:00.009+09:00

。。。に、どういうわけか興味がある　>< 今日の仕事はそんなに忙しくないので。。。このサイト、いい勉強になった、へへ。　（英語を勉強している方向けだけど） http://home.alc.co.jp/db/owa/s_kaydic?ctg_in=4

面白い擬音語・擬態語をご存知だったら、是非教えてください！

For some unknown reason, I have long held a fascination with gitaigo and giongo...these being onomatopeic Japanese words expressing sounds, feelings, and assorted more abstract concepts. That said, I don't use them very often in daily conversation because a) they are hard to remember and b) they kind of make you sound like a cartoon character. My recent favorites are as follows. I've taken the liberty of providing English example sentences so that you can work them into your everyday conversation.

ムカムカ (muka-muka) : queasiness; nausea (I feel a bit muka-muka today)
グニャグニャ (gunya-gunya) : having a gummy consistency; viscous (this toffee is quite gunya-gunya)
ゴチャゴチャ (gocha-gocha) : being in a mess/disorder (sorry, we can't go to my place, it's totally gocha-gocha)
ムニュムニュ (munyu-munyu) : to mumble (whatchoo munyu-munyu-ing about Willis!!)
ポカポカ (poka-poka) : warm; nice weather (that lovely Michael Fish from off the telly said that it would be poka-poka tomorrow; oooh I do like him, he wears the nicest sweaters)
ブツブツ (butsu-butsu) : (1) grumbling; (2) rash; spots; pimples (his face was all like butsu-butsu and stuff, I mean, like hell-LO? what was Courtney, like, thinking, setting me up with a total baboon like that? Oh, and like oh my GOD you are not gonna BELIEVE how much he butsu-butsu'd on the way to the White Castle)

Ah, nothing beats a nice bit of language butchery.

As a postscript...I've been playing Taiko no Tatsujin on my DS rather too much recently, and I can't get the "Tarako" song (which features in it) out of my head...so I thought I'd look up the full version on Youtube, and...erm...good grief but this country is warped.

Just FYI it takes as it's subject matter a particular brand of pasta sauce, as if that helps clear things up.

２年間

2008-04-03T12:24:00.000+09:00

今日は、日本に来た以来はや２年間がかかてきたところのです。　あっという間にのような気がしているですが、実に長い間ので、内政的な感じも入っています。　「日本の生活はどう？」や「日本語能力はどう？」という質問を、よく自問自答をしているけど、気分が毎日違っているやつなので、いつであろうとはっきり答えられない。

そうは言っても、私の日本の生活はだいたい順調ですよ。　もちろん、外人として、難しいところもあるが、外国に住んでいることは毎日新しくて不思議な体験が得られるものなので、　幸せです。　日本に住む機会も、仕事も、アパートもあって、幸運だと思う。　時々独りぼっちで寂しい感じだけど。。。

日本語能力について、たぶん自問自答しなかったほうがいいんじゃん　(^_^;)　。。。っていうより、むしろ内政・緊張しないで自信を持ったほうがいいですよね。　さぁ、頑張ろう。。。

読解力を向上しよう

2008-03-31T20:12:00.003+09:00

下記のサイトは日本語を学んでいる方にとって役に立つかな。

http://www.aozora.gr.jp/

[Project Gutenberg]みたいな著作権(copyright)の消滅した日本語の作品バーチュアル図書館だ。　最近、僕は「太宰治」の作品を読もうとしていた。。。ちょっと難しいけどさぁ。。。><

ご迷惑をお掛けして誠に申し訳ございません

2008-03-30T22:44:00.006+09:00

ブログは変更中！

Playing with templates and layout features...expect wobbliness for a while!

Youtube videos ahoy!

2008-03-27T22:57:00.006+09:00

An understanding of Japanese would be beneficial for this one...(parts are NSFW)

...but not this! Ah, it really captures the lighter, happy-go-lucky side of violence against women in a way that only the Japanese can. However, I contend you to get "I was robbed by two men" out of your head before tomorrow...

And bugger me if that guy at the end doesn't look like Hunter S. Thompson. Or a tortoise.

Blog resurrection GO! (kinda)

2008-03-27T21:24:00.002+09:00

OK...you are witnesses...at the birth...of Andy's Jap Blog Mk. II. On the bass...Derek Smalls (wait, that's over-stretching the reference somewhat)

MORE posts! MORE random inanity! MORE posts no-one will read!! MORE complete and utter drivel hoisted upon an uncaring online populace! MORE I say!!!

Yes, this blog has sorta died on it's ass since I started my new job & new life in Nagoya...largely because I deem my everyday life unworthy on documentation. Nevertheless! I shall endeavour to update this sucker at least once a week.

Part of the reason is...my Japanese sucks...partially due to my complacency and laziness...but largely coz I'm dumb...anyway long rant short I want to start writing blog entries in Japanese again, for the practice, to force myself to think in Japanese and stop relying on the stuff I already know...so, we'll see what transpires there. Lots and lots of horrible, broken Japanese is my guess.

Another part of the reason is that sometimes I feel I need to force myself to appreciate the uniqueness of my situation, and that it is a situation many (no doubt more deserving) others would be very happy to be in...so I wanna take a closer look at the minutiae of my daily life...and bore you all with it! Yay!

...and I'm noticing the amount of times I've forced myself to use the phrase "force myself to do XYZ" in this post...that can't be good, can it?

Oh well...let's do!

2008-02-19T20:54:00.005+09:00

Hello! Er...people tell me I should write this thing more often...and I'm bored...so here you go, even though nothing hugely noteworthy has really happened recently...

Had a little housewarming a few weekends ago, lots of fun...we drank, talked, played UNO, were subjected to my selection of strange musics, and watched Kure Kure Takora (a 70s TV show I believe I may have mentioned here some time ago) . OK, it was a lot more fun than it probably sounds.

Went out with work twice last week...first was a gathering of most of the company gaijin in the Nagoya area, being for the benefit of two foreigners joining the company from the (nearby) University of Toyota...or something along those lines, I was a little fuzzy on the details to be honest, but either way it was nice to meet the company's foreign contingent, put faces to names, etc. Second was a gathering of one of the departments I work as a part of, being for the benefit of the lovely Hamaguchi-san, who has left us for Osaka. Hamaguchi-san has been my de-facto babysitter since I started last November, looking after Mr. First-time-working-in-Japan and all of his dopey problems, a mantle she always bore with the utmost kindness and good nature; so I in particular will miss her.

Work is otherwise going well...been a little slow recently...mostly non-urgent proofreading stuff...translation jobs come up occasionally, which, frankly, are a lot more interesting, hehe. One came up today in fact, which lead to me to check the plural form of "antenna" (it involve the antenna of a car radio)...did you know that "antennae" is usually only used in biology (e.g. insect antennae) but "antennas" is usually preferred in technological terminology (e.g. radio antennas)? You didn't? You mean you have a life? Well screw you then.

The weather has been a bit more stable since my last post...bit of snow, but it hasn't settled...ain't half cold though...

Hmm, what else can I say?...not much really...so here's another completely arbitrary cat picture! (since they seem to be gaining in popularity on this blog)

Iiiii'm dreamiiiiing of a whiiiiite...er...February 9th

2008-02-10T00:50:00.000+09:00

It's been snowing here today...and not inconsiderably so, as these photographs will hopefully testify...

I haven't seen snow like this since...I can't really remember...so it's something of a novelty for me. But for those of you who happen to be from snowier climes...here's a completely arbitrary picture of two cats in a basket!!!! Yay!!!!!!!!

Happy new year! 明けましておめでとうございます！

2008-01-07T20:14:00.000+09:00

Right then, I've finally got an internet connection in my new apartment, so hopefully I'll be updating this thing a little more often. Is anyone actually still reading? If so, you have my sincere thanks...

To summarize my current state of play, for the lazy/indolent: I am living in my very own apartment in Nagoya (Tenpa-ku). Currently very minimalist (i.e. I haven't bought much furniture yet). I work in Nisshin (just outside of Nagoya) proofreading and translating owner's manuals for Toyota.

I'm just back from visiting friends & fam in the UK for Christmas. Very nice to see everyone. Flight back was slightly problematic, in that the co-pilot of my connecting flight was suddenly taken ill (at least that's the airline's story, resulting in me having to spend a night in Helsinki. However, BA/Finnair put us all up in the airport Hilton, which was really very nice indeed. Helsinki was a bit on the brisk side though (about -5c during the daytime). The next day I could only get a filght to Osaka which meant getting back to Nagoya via several trains, which I particularly enjoyed because I hadn't slept at all on the 10 hour flight from Helsinki. Oh I do like to moan. Still, back now. And jetlagged...I slept 12 hours last night, hehe...

First day back at work today...I was a little scared as I felt like I'd forgotten most/all of my Japanese...struggled through somehow though, hehe. The morning was taken up with a new year's conference, held in a conference centre right out in the middle of nowhere (if you don't believe me, check the satellite view...fields aplenty!).

Well, off to bed I think...(jetlag)

New job etc.

2007-11-21T21:10:00.000+09:00

Just thought I'd fire off a quick missive to let you all know how I'm doing. Yet again, apologies for the long time between posts...I am truly honored that people still actually read this blog, and hopefully I'll be able to post more once my free time increases.

I am 3 weeks into the new job now...it's going well, I'm enjoying it. I work for a multinational publishing/communications company called ITP, and the branch I work at (in Nisshin-shi, a largely uninteresting eastern suburb of Nagoya) exclusively produces manuals for Toyota cars. My job largely involves proofreading said manuals that have been translated into English, as well as some translation (the translation work will increase as my knowledge increases). I am the only gaijin in a building of 90-odd people so I feel somewhat conspicuous (luckily there are numerous English speakers, though). These last 3 weeks have mainly consisted of training exercises and receiving various explanations (there's a lot to get my head around), and generally getting used to stuff outside of the hermetically-sealed world of Yamasa and in real, scary Japanese society.

So, it might not sound like the most exciting of companies to some of you (the glamorous world of OWNER'S MANUALS! whooo), but I feel like I'm learning lots, and I feel lucky and thankful to whatever higher power you might happen to believe in for the chance to be here doing this. As was largely not the case with my previous jobs in the UK, here I have the chance to experience a society that still feels alien and exciting to me and to learn new things every day. And not just Japanese...through my proofreading work and through trying to explain grammatical errors to my co-workers (why is it wrong? I don't know, it just is! the drawback of being a native speaker) it's become necessary to research and study the English language as well (did you know that, if you have a list of 3 or more things - for instance "English, French, and Spanish" - the often un-used comma between the 2nd item and the 'and' is known as the Oxford Comma? Which is like where I'm from and stuff. Yay Oxford).

I am still in Okazaki at the moment and, whilst this has given me a chance to still hang out at the school bar more often than I probably should, the daily commute hasn't been ideal (usually around an hour and a half, door-to-door). But this Saturday I should be moving into my own swingin' bachelor pad in Hirabari (eastern part of Nagoya) which will put me within cycling distance of work (or 10 mins by subway). Let's fun!! ^^

Life in limbo/Trip to Nagano-ken

2007-10-29T22:50:00.000+09:00

Hello all, long time no see yada yada.

So since leaving school a month or so ago I have been staying in an old house belonging to a local family. Kind of friends of a friend. It turns out I have an internet connection after all (I'm leaching wireless) so I'm really sorry for not posting anything in so long.

I've been fairly comfortable here. It's pretty old, and I have no shower, but the family to whom the house belongs live next door and they let me use theirs. My only other real gripes are the insects. I've had more than my fair share of mosquito bites over the last month, I've encountered cockroaches on occasion, and on the first night I moved in the biggest [EXPLETIVE]ing spider I've ever seen in my life put in an appearance. Anyone who knows me will know that I am not particularly fond of such creatures (call me childish if you will, but it's a phobia, honest. I prefer to liken myself to Indiana Jones and his fear of snakes).

Aaaanyway, my work visa came through a lot (i.e. 3 weeks or so) quicker than I was expecting it to, so I am going to start my new job on Thursday (i.e. 3 day's time). I'm more than a little nervous about going into a Japanese-language workplace, but it'll be OK...right??

I had some free time while I was waiting for my visa, so I took the opportunity to take a much-needed break and get the hell out of Okazaki. For numerous reasons, I came up with a vague plan to tour several places in Nagano prefecture over the space of a week or so, going north-east on the train. And did exactly that. Details:

Tsumago and Magome

Heading north-east by train from Nagoya, I elected to first stop at the historic former post-town of Tsumago. I arrived in the evening and stayed in a minshuku (a kind of traditional Japanese lodging) which was jolly nice, and where I pondered my next moves, played DS games (I'd be doing a lot of that...I pwn at Famicom Wars DS!!!!11!one), booked hotels by phone, etc. After dragging my ass out of bed the next morning (why oh why do all hotels etc. have a check out time of 10pm??? I'm on holiday!! I want to lie in until at least midday you bastards!) I had a bit of a wander round the almost painfully historical and untouched town (which of course was lined with souvenir shops) and discovered that the bus to Magome (another post-town off to the east) left once every two hours, and that I had just missed it. So, I decided to walk some of the way down the Nakasendou (a 7.5km hiking route that links the two towns) and catch the bus half way along (this became necessary since there was no way I would be walking the whole thing with a back that heavy strapped to my back, believe you me. I'm impressed with myself for doing 4km).

Either way, I arrived in Magome with aching shoulders and had a bit of a butcher's. Magome somehow seemed a lot more touristy that Tsumago (read: there were more foreigners. Well more crowds in general really) and while nice, I didn't like it quite as much.

I stayed the night at a business hotel in nearby Nakatsugawa, which wasn't a particularly fascinating town (I felt like I might as well have been back in Okazaki). There are some sights but I didn't really have time to see them. What did strike me was the contrast between the minshuku I'd stayed in the night before (out in the middle of nowhere, run by a woman and her son, views of unspoilt wilderness) to staying in a clinical, sanitized big chain business hotel (piped-in muzak in the lobby, pay-per-view porn on the telly, views of an interchange). Needless to say, if you're going for the traditional Japanese experience over convenience, I recommend staying in a minshuku (or a ryokan, another type of traditional Japanese lodging...don't ask me what the difference is between the two).

Mastumoto

Next up was two days in the city of Matsumoto, nestled in the ass-crack of the Japanese Alps (I really ought to come up with better analogies). Left we see "Alp-chan", the city mascot. You will notice she has alps on her head. I am dying to know what the violin-thing she's carrying is all about.

When I arrived it was raining it's ass off so I decided to head for the Matsumoto Museum of Art, which was jolly nice, and had a bit of a walk around the city center. Stayed the first night at another big-chain business hotel (overly polite people in the lobby, pay-per-view porn on the telly, view of a brick wall), next day headed to Matsumoto's main attraction, the castle (400 years old and one of four castles countrywide that survived ransacking and reconstruction over the years to become declared a national treasure).

Matsumoto castle is pretty fantastic and is apparently quite architecturally unique (it has 5 stories and an outer-keep-thing) and the city is justifiably proud of it, as it's a national treasure and all. I went through the tour of the inside of the castle but am afraid to say that I didn't make it quite as far as the 5th floor (there was a queue!).

Then it was on to...

Nagano

Sports fans out there will probably recognize Nagano as the city that hosted the 1998 Winter Olympics. Now, if you mention the words "Winter Olympics" to many Brits my age, it will inevitably bring to mind the horror that was Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards making a complete and utter tit of himself in Calgary in 1988, and subsequently becoming famous for being a complete and utter tit.

Nonetheless, off I went.

The first day was spent being overcome at how jolly nice Nagano city is, finding my Ryokan (traditional Japanese lodging, remember?) and looking around the nearby, well-known temple Zenkouji. A volunteer group who give free tours in English noticed my white guy status and immediately offered me a tour of the temple. Sounded good to me, so off we took.

Numerous events on this day and the next caused me to notice, or at least imagine, how un-used Nagano was to foreigners in general, and especially those who could speak some semblance of Japanese. Maybe it comes from living for so long in a small town with a big freaking Japanese language school in it which has Japanese-capable gaijin bursting from the rafters. But still, this place hosted the Winter freaking Olympics! As I look back, it seemed to me to get worse the further north I went. But you will forgive your intrepid journalist's somewhat overactive imagination, I'm sure.

On day 2 in Nagano (after a lie-in!) I took an hour-long bus ride up into the mountains to visit the isolated town of Togakushi. Which is a fairly amazing unspoilt piece of traditional Japanese wilderness. It has amazing scenery, remote temples with ancient history (when I say remote...Okusha temple has an 1800m path lined with amazingly beautiful cedar trees...frankly the path leading to the temple is a lot more impressive than the temple itself), and, best of all, a former ninja school-cum-ninja museum. Oh my god it was freaking cool. I mean, come on here people! Real-life ninjas!!! Do you realize how cool ninjas are to the average western suburban twenty-something? So, needless to say, visiting a remote, mountainous ninja
academy was, well, jolly nice.

And they had a ninja house!!!! And the souvenir shop sold replica shuriken and katana!!!! And they had photos of dudes doing ninja stuff!!!! Honestly!!!!

And I walked from the ninja museum to a nearby shrine called Chuusha...and I stopped at a souvenir shop there...and the guy who ran it was a real-life ninja master!! And I totally chatted with him!!!!! (putting the adolescent enthusiasm on hold here...I'm honestly not kidding. He gave me his business card, he runs a local martial arts school called Genshinkan, and his name is Kazuho Matsuhashi, if I'm reading it correctly).

Anyway, complete photos of my trip are here, should you want to see them:
http://photozou.jp/photo/list/154073/415373 (I would like to point out by means of a disclaimer that my camera sucks major-league ass)

Movin' on

2007-09-25T19:07:00.000+09:00

Well, school's finished. For good, I mean. Yep, 1,446 (count 'em!) hours of Japanese study later and my Japanese still sucks. Hehe :(

The graduation ceremony was last Friday. All very emotional. Or it would've been had I not been quite so hungover (it was my birthday the day before).

So what's next...well, for those of you I haven't already told, I was lucky enough to get a job lined up at a publishing/communications company near Nagoya (i.e. a 50 -odd minute train journey from my current location). So I'll still be in the area, and it's nice that I can remain in an area where I have friends and a support network (god knows I'll need one), and it's nice to think that I will be able to come back to Okazaki from time to time, hang out at the local (to the school) bar, meet people etc.

So, I need to change my student visa to a work visa. This process takes a varying amount of time (usually about a month), and while this process is going on I am given a kind of in-limbo visa which doesn't allow me to either leave the country or rent a proper apartment. So, when I leave my apartment (I have to be out tomorrow) I am going to move temporarily to an old, nearby house belonging to a friend of a friend, that they were kind enough to agree to let me stay in. No Internet so...I may be out of communication for a while (I'll still be checking e-mail as often as possible).

Anyway, must get back to packing, will write more later (probably).

Final week

2007-09-17T22:59:00.000+09:00

Alright gang

Just a quick note to let anyone who is actually still interested that I am in fact still alive...just slightly busy with various things.

This is my last week at school, which is something that fills me with a peculiar feeling of both not wanting to leave (since I like the school, the student lifestyle and many of the teachers) but also of feeling glad that it will end (since I am kinda sick of this style of study and I feel like it's not having much of an effect any more, and I really really need a break and my brain is melting argh argh my brain is melting).

Another reason why I am anxious about leaving is that I currently have no definite place to live after I leave (I am currently living in student-owned accommodation and will have to get my ass out the door by Tuesday 25th). I currently have several possibilities, but nothing is confirmed yet, and I think not knowing where I will be in a little over a week is something that my personality type just can't handle.

Also I still have no job. I interviewed at a company the week before last, but I still haven't heard a peep from them, so I'm not feeling particularly hopeful about it. So my current (vague) plan is to find somewhere to live, convert to a tourist visa (which lasts for 3 months) and kind of bum about looking for a full-time job and doing occasional private lessons at my school. Maybe travel a bit as well. Then if nothing comes up I guess it's back to blighty. I really have no idea right now. Guh.

エンジンぬいぐるみ！？

2007-07-31T22:16:00.000+09:00

http://rocket-craft.com/

Homepage of a website that makes anatomically-accurate cuddly-toy cars, ostensibly for display purposes. OK then.

ロケットクラフトはクルマやオートバイのエンジンなど、普通では売っていない「ぬいぐるみ」を製造販売しています。お店のディスプレイやお部屋のインテリアにおひとついかがですか？

Some of their stuff is actually very cute:
http://rocket-craft.com/works_train01.html
http://rocket-craft.com/works_bus01.html

ピックルです！

2007-07-30T23:44:00.000+09:00

This is too cute: http://www.ubu.com/outsiders/365/2003/205.shtml (download the mp3)

More guff

2007-07-22T20:27:00.000+09:00

2 posts within the same week! Gadzooks!

Sorry about the last post, I didn't mean to sound overly miserable, or ungrateful as to my current situation (I am anything but). Strange thing is, I've felt a lot better since writing it. Just a lot more content within myself. I think I might be manic depressive :(

But anyway, I've had an enjoyable weekend...went out on Thursday and then I Friday myself and a friend sat outside the school bar all afternoon and much of the evening, drinking beer (my friend, being Dutch, has clued me into the proper pronunciation of "Hoegaarden" BTW), accosting teachers and acquaintances as they went past, forcing them to sit and chat with us. To their credit, we were unable to persuade any of the teachers (who were still on the clock at that time) into drinking with us. Saturday and today have been spent indoors (mostly because of the heat), watching movies and more Mystery Science Theater, doing nothing in particular (minimal studying, hehe), and finishing off my rirekisho (Japanese-language resume (sorry don't know how to do the accented characters on this Jap keyboard)).

As you can see from this example, the Japanese resume is a totally different beast to its Western counterpart. It's completely standardized; you buy the form from a convenience store, fill it out by hand with your personal details, work and educational history, and a little about your interests and why you're applying for the job, and send it off. Apparently it has to be filled out by hand so that the employer can garner some kind of idea of your personality through handwriting tests. This does not work in one's favor if one happens to a) be foreign and b) have worse handwriting than a doctor with Parkinson's, both of which apply to me. Still, hey ho.

Also, due to my being outside for most of Friday, I am currently pockmarked by mosquito bites. The mosquitoes here also seem to be a totally different beast to their Western counterpart, and I find they are a lot nastier. I wouldn't be at all surprised if I found out that the Japanese used their mosquitoes to torture POWs during WWII. The bites kind of leave you with this absolutely horrible itching/burning sensation for like 3-4 days. Plus they kind of make the skin around the bite go all kinda puffy and icky. Maybe that's just my gaijin reaction. I was wearing sandals and my feet seem to have well and truly gotten it the worst (Don't click here!)

Anyway, I think I've been writing this as a means of putting off doing homework, so better get back to it.

Summer

2007-07-18T18:41:00.000+09:00

Summer is upon us once again. As I may have intimated before, it's not exactly my favorite season, especially here in humidity land. I must give thanks daily to the gods of air-conditioning and just ride it out I guess.

So term started again last week...last one (I'm fairly certain this time!). I think it would be feasible for me to continue for one more term after this (i.e. until December), but...to be honest I really don't think I want to. My mood changes often, but in general I feel as though I have well and truly had it with intensive Japanese study, at least for the time being. I often feel like I'm not learning anything anymore...so much so in fact that I feel like my Japanese level is actually regressing. So doing another term honestly feels like it would be a waste of money.

This feeling of regression seems, in fact, to be in conjunction with what feels like a drop in my general level of intelligence, Japanese-related or not. It's hard to explain, but most of time recently, my brain just kinda feels like it can't be bothered with anything, like it's gone into hibernation for the summer and has left me with a skeleton staff of mental faculties. Generally a kind of feeling of confusion and forgetfulness.

So yeah, kind of coasting right now really. Change of scene would be good, and I feel that if I could get school out of the way and go somewhere completely different for a month or so and rest that I could kick the feeling of mental lethargy and get my mind back, but I'm kind of trapped here until September. Still no definite plans as to what I'm gonna do after...one company in Tokyo has shown some interest in me, and I will be in discussion with them early next month.

Sorry for writing another miserable entry, but I think it helps to alleviate. Things aren't as bad as I make them out to be, I'm sure... ^_^

ご無沙汰してしまって、どうもすみません

2007-06-27T00:43:00.000+09:00

Hello hello! My, but it's been a long time since I've posted anything on here.

I can assure you, I am still alive.

So, how are you?

I'm sorry for not writing; I haven't written anything because...I don't know. I haven't really felt like it I guess. So nurrrr. Plus, YOU try writing something halfway interesting about your everyday life.

Term no.5 has ended and I am now on holiday for two weeks. This is a good thing. Lest I need to explain the term system at my school again: three months on, two weeks off. I hit what I am terming as a bit of a slump in the last third of the previous term, which might also explain my not writing. I honestly feel like a part of my brain has melted. Hopefully the break will restore my faculties somewhat.

The job search continues afoot. There are numerous possibilities that are somewhat too complex for me to explain with any degree of brevity (thanks to things like work visas and school fee refunds and whatnot). We will see. The fact that my currently planned finishing date of September is rapidly approaching is certainly not lost on me. Guh.

So, what have I done recently? Yesterday I visited the Asahi brewery in Nagoya with some friends to do the factory tour. Should any readers happen to be in the Nagoya area, I can highly recommend it. A cute tour guide shows you lots of spinning machinery, and then gives you free beer! Free I tells ya! Yet another example of something that would never work in the west but that seemingly works here.

Other than that...I've been watching a lot of Mystery Science Theater 3000 for some reason. I've re-arranged my room and am now sleeping on the floor. I've been reading a manga called 魔方陣グルグル. I've been eating and sleeping. I've done a lot of sweating. I hate summer. You can actually see the humidity.

!!!

2007-05-22T00:12:00.001+09:00

http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20070518p2a00m0na003000c.html

Word o' the Day

2007-05-15T20:49:00.000+09:00

ノミュニケーション　(Nommunication)

A juxtaposition of "communication" and the Japanese verb nomu (to drink). Alcohol-fueled conversation. Kampai! (* ^^)ノΨ

五月病　(>_<)

2007-05-12T20:45:00.000+09:00

今までの今週、軽症のいわゆる五月病にかかるような感じがしていた。　私の日本語は普段すごくヘタだけど、今週ってさらに！　普段より基本的なことにつまずいていたし、何度も繰り返したことを覚えられていなかったし、考えられていなかったし。。。このポーストは間違ったところがいっぱいあるに違いない！　でもこの悩みに対して、連絡したいと思う。。。

学校は大体うまく行っている。　ふ～ん。。。面白くて書きたいことがあまりないな。。。勉強勉強勉強。。。明日は友達の誕生日パーティーに参加する予定がある。。。来週は特になんでもないと思う。。。

先々週、名古屋にライブ音楽を見に行った。　見たバンドは、ジャグズ（知らなかった）、オシリペンペンズ（かっこいい名！）とOverhang Partyだった。　オシリペンペンス（写真）ってメチャ面白かった。　Overhang Partyもよかったけど。。。実は期待より面白くない。　悪いわけではないだが。。。僕にとって、彼らの古い曲のほうが面白いと思う　（彼らの１９９４の”２”というアルバム、大好き！）。　しかも他のバンドより、音がすごく大きかった！　耳がいまだに痛い！

最近、のんびりしながら漫画を読んでいることがあった。　最高のは「ハトのおよめさん」。。。「ハトビーム」がすごく役立ちそう！　うるせえ！　ギャァァー！　（など）

Hello!

2007-05-11T21:17:00.000+09:00

Er, yes. Thought I'd better write something. So, how are you? Good, good.

Yet again, not a great deal to report. Just the usual everyday life type-stuff. Weather is very changeable right now, just like last year. One day it's like summer, the next wind and rain.

Seem to be reading a lot of manga, mostly thanks to the lovely Ohya-sensei, who keeps lending me stuff, but also thanks to the nearby Book-Off (a second-hand book store, not an exclamation). Recent titles have included Blackjack ni Yoroshiku (gritty medical drama), (comedy about pigeons) and Hato no Oyome-san and Oshare Techou (left; a slightly rude comedy about a virginal schoolgirl. Hiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!).

I seem to be suffering from gogatsubyou (lit. May sickness), a kind of lethargy brought about by both a change in the season and the fact that May is the month after April, the month in which the school and fiscal years start with aplomb (hence leading to waning enthusiasm). At least, it's my excuse for being dumb. All week I've been forgetting stuff left and right, been unable to think, been tripping up often on really simple stuff etc etc. I was gonna write a Japanese entry but I really don't think my brain is up to it right now (or, to be more honest, it would be so full of mistakes it would be embarrassing to publish). Even English is posing a problem, to be honest.

My classmate Kaku-san is slowly becoming something of a celebrity around school, thanks to Youtube. Her kung-fu demonstrations are the stuff of martial arts legend. View her antics here.

Other than that, about the most exciting thing I can think of to write about right now pertains to a car that pulled up in the parking lot outside my apartment. The owner of said vehicle had for some reason seen fit to fit out the interior with blue neon lights that reacted to the bass frequencies of the car stereo, flashing on and off in time with the music. It kind of looked like someone was being electrocuted in the back seat. Chav-tacular.

New term

2007-04-25T20:33:00.000+09:00

Oops, looks like I haven't written anything since term started some 3 weeks ago...sorry...

Anyway I am pleased to report that I am enjoying this term a lot more so far. There's a general feeling of having overcome a slump. I really like my new class and my new teachers...I like the stuff we're covering and the practice we're doing...I'm generally feeling more confident in day-to-day conversation...things in the class are generally feeling a lot more at my level than the last two terms, both of which felt like a bit of a baptism by fire.

Therefore, I am thinking about extending my time here by another 3 months (i.e. until end of Sept/start of Oct.). This should (fingers crossed) put me in good stead to take the JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) Level 2 (there are 4 levels, 1 being the hardest) in December, which should (fingers crossed) increase my employability somewhat. Chi-ching!!

This will, sadly, mean enduring another Japanese summer. I'm sure I can already feel the humidity levels rising...

We have a test on Monday, after which I am thinking of going to Nagoya to see some music. The ever-interesting Tokuzo is hosting Overhang Party, whom I'm rather partial to, as well as Oshiripenpenz (the name roughly translates as, erm, "botty spank-spank", no I'm not kidding), who are certainly an, erm, "interesting" live act, as can be seen from this video.

Kyoto

2007-04-06T21:50:00.000+09:00

So Kyoto was very nice. My legs sure do ache today though (god only knows how far I actually walked). I started by going to Higashiyama (east of Kyoto Station; there was an international centre there that I wanted to check for jobs), walked the nearby Path of Philosophy north to Ginkakuji (not to be confused with Kinkakuji) then took the bus west to Kinkakuji (not to be confused with Kinkakuji...wait I mean Ginkakuji), then finished up walking around and shopping in Teramachi. Then back on the shinkansen (a.k.a. bullet train. Thanks to Willem for the ticket). God I love the shinkansen. Shame it's so expensive...

Anyway, very nice day all in all. Crowds weren't too overwhelming. Felt a bit lonely perhaps walking around all day on my own.

You can see my photos here.

昨日の京都の日帰りは楽しかったよ～♪。　だって、今日体がちょっと疲れてきたもん。。。大変いっぱい歩いた！　脚が痛いぃ。。。

国際交流協会で仕事を探したかったので、まず地下鉄で東山へ行ったことにしました。　近いの寺を見に行って、哲学道を散歩して銀閣寺に行った。　その後、バスで金閣寺に行った。　最後寺町に買い物に行って、駅に行って新幹線で名古屋に帰った。

人がちょっといっぱいだったが、たいしたものじゃなかった。　でも、終日ひとりで過ごしたのは寂しかったものだ　：（

写真がコチラで集まった。　うわ～、桜がきれいだね。。。

春休み　（継続）

2007-04-04T21:24:00.000+09:00

For numerous reasons (weather, inability to sleep etc.) I've postponed my little trip to Kyoto until Thursday...

京都の日帰りを木曜に繰り下げた。　あまり急いでいない、上に天気用法によると木曜はれそうだ　(･∀･)

今は日本語の勉強についてどうすればいいかと考えているところだ。　まだ日本語を学びたいけど、学校の授業中、頭がいっぱいし心身がボーっとしているそうな感じがよくしている。　集中講義の学生としてちょっとうんさりしていると思う。　それに、僕は一年間せっかく勉強していたのに日本語能力はまあまあだし（例えば、このポストに間違ったところが多いかも）、忘れてしまうことも多いし、辞書によく頼るので、私がまず日本語を身に付けないとよく感じている。。。

最近、理想的に日本で働いてプライベット授業なんてしたほうがいいという気がしていた。　だから、勉強について考えながら日本の仕事を探していたけど、まだラッキーじゃなかった。　僕にとって、仕事を探すのはなんとなく自信をなせるようなものだ　：（

もし仕事を見つければ、日本で住んでいるところを探すのは悩むものだ。　イギリスでもアパートを探すの経験が少ないし、日本語あまり話せて読めるのでどうすればいいか気にしている。　では、その時が来るまで悩まないようにしていたほうがいいんじゃん。。。

僕ってさ、抱擁をちょっと欠いているかも (^_^;)。　じゃ、京都で楽しむようにしている！　でも人が多いすぎなければいいんだけどね。。。

Spring break / 春休み

2007-04-01T18:50:00.000+09:00

Apologies for the umpteenth time for not writing in so long.

So term is over and I am halfway through my 2-week spring break...have so far spent it catching up on sleep, seeing friends, playing video games, job hunting, and most importantly not studying.

Tomorrow will be a year to the day since I came here. On most blogs this would lead to some kind of wanky, heartfelt retrospective screed on the time spent here so far and what it's meant to me, but...nah. Can't be arsed I'm afraid, I'm gonna go back to playing Grand Theft Auto instead.

Also tomorrow I am going on a day-trip to Kyoto (a friend of mine gave me a one-way bullet-train ticket he became unable to use). Weather forecast is good, the sakura (cherry blossom) is starting to bloom...if it's not too crowded (Kyoto is notoriously popular in sakura season, hence why I am going on a weekday) it should be a peachy day all round. Kind of sucks that I'm going on my own, but meh. Expect photographs!

There is a series of truly bizarre and sometimes quite disturbing anti-smoking posters that can be found on trains and in stations here. I personally think they are absolutely fantastic and am quite tempted to steal them whenever I see them. Luckily the organization that produces them has put them all online for your (or at least my) viewing pleasure. Let me know your favorite!

お久しぶり！

最近の生活はあまり面白くないのに、日本語の練習のためにアップデートしようと思っていた。

学期が終わって春休みが半分過ごした。　風邪が引いたり、頭が疲れてきたりしたので、のんびりに時間を過ごすようにしていた。　フ～ン、いいんじゃん！

あしたは日本へ来たから一年間が過ごしたところです。　あっという間にほど早く感じる。。。

そして、明日京都に日帰り旅行しようとおもっている。　ワクワク～♪

あとでもう少し書く。。。

End o' term (again)

2007-03-14T19:44:00.000+09:00

Happy White Day!

Sorry for the lack of updates...just a quick post to fill you in on my goings-on...

It's the penultimate week of term and I'm feeling kinda tired and generally in need of a holiday. School is kind of sapping my strength and more often than not I'm half asleep and my head feels like it's full of rocks. I often find myself feeling that I no longer really want to be here. I still want to be in Japan, I still want to learn Japanese, just not in this manner (incidentally, I think I'd probably respond a lot better to private tuition from here on out). In short I really need a break and I really need some form of steady income.

Another thing that sucks is that several of my friends are leaving at the end of this term. Not all of them luckily, but still...all these people who I've spent the last year hanging out with and getting to know will suddenly no longer be here. On the plus side though, it does mean that I have a plethora of leaving piss-ups to attend (* ^^)ノΨ

So I have the 2-week break to look forward to again...I certainly need a break, but I can't say I'm particularly looking forward to it since I don't have anything in particular to do, and no money either, and I don't particularly want to spend 2 weeks job hunting (still haven't had any real joy on the job front..haven't had the time or energy to do much looking...still don't really know what I want to do...had vague thoughts of wanting to do something in Publishing but that's about it).

2007-02-20T22:27:00.000+09:00

In case anyone's interested, the last post was the full text of my entry to the recent school speech contest (luckily I only had to give it in front of my class, not the entire school). It is a somewhat inarticulate screed on manga and the proclivity of cartoon characters and their usage. I wanted to talk about how manga seems to play a much more important role here than in other countries, and how cartoon characters (and the whole "kawaii" thing) are used here much more widely and in ways they wouldn't be in the West; for example in health insurance posters at city hall.

One good example of this (that I really could've done with using but didn't think of until afterwards, grrrr) is how every major and not-so-major city in Japan seems to have it's own mascot-type character, known collectively as yuru-kyara. Take, for instance, the city of Hikone (hee-koh-neh) in Shiga prefecture, which has created the character of Hiko-nyan (left), which is a kind of samurai cat thing, to represent itself ('nyan' is the Japanese equivalent of 'meow').

可愛いでしょう？

A full-size costume of the character is often created to be used for publicity purposes (you can see Hiko-nyan in action here). One of the greatest pieces of television I have ever seen was a two-hour special, shown sometime last year, where they brought 20 or 30 of these yuru-kyara together and made them have a It's A Knockout!-style contest (the show's website is here, Japanese. The links in the table on the right-hand side show the poor sods who took part).

ゆるキャラ

スピーチ

2007-02-14T18:47:00.000+09:00

これは私のスピーチコンテストのスピーチです。　話題は日本へ来てから漫画に関して気付いたことです。　興味があれべ、どうぞ。。。

私は日本に着いたときから、ある漫画に興味を持ちました。　いわゆるギャグ漫画が好きな私は日本語がまだあまり読めないのに、読む能力が強くなるにつれて、たくさん興味を持つよるになりました。　私にとって、漫画は面白いだけでなく、外国人に日本の文化とか言葉とか常識などわかるようになるチャンスを与えると思います。

日本ではアニメと漫画の人気さは、世界中で、よく知られていると思います。　日本へ来る前に、私はもちろん日本では漫画やアニメに人気があるのを聞いたことがよくありました。　しかし、日本へ来て、漫画とキャラクターの多さを見て、漫画とアニメは人気というより、むしろ社会の大切な部分だと思ってきました。

もしかしたら、そのことに初めて気付いたときは日本に着いたばかりのときです。　セントレア空港から岡崎に行く途中で、キャラクターが使われている広告ビルボードをいっぱい見たからです。　

しばらく後、色々な欧米と違うことに気付き始めました。　例えば、新製品が発売されると、なにかの可愛いキャラクターが付いていることを知りました。　そして、市役所へ行ったとき、様々なキャラクターを使われている広報のポスターを見つけました。　｢どうしてこの可愛い漫画のキャラクターはこの医療保険広報を飾っていますか｣と思いました。　もちろん、欧米でもキャラクターが使われている広告などがたくさんあるけど、日本でのはいわば美術様式のようです。

それに、欧米と違って、日本では漫画がどこでもいつでも買ったり読んだりすることができます。　どこのコンビニへ行っても、色々な年齢や性別の漫画を読んでいる人を見つけることができるはずです。　その上、大人気漫画とアニメ、例えば「デスノート」とか「ドラえもん」という漫画などが文化的現象によくなっています。　そして、ある漫画家、例えば手塚治虫、は漫画に社会評論を包括しました。

欧米では、コミックスはよく子供っぽいやおたくだというイメージが感じています。　大人向けの漫画があるのに、そのイメージは日本にもあるらしいです。　ですけれども、欧米にくらべて、漫画を読むのはもう少し社会に受け入れられるようです。　

もちろん、漫画を読んでいる人もいれば、あまり好きじゃなくて読んでいない人もいるのに、欧米に比べて、一般的に人気がずっと大きいらしい。　子供といわゆるおたく以外、多く人々が漫画を読むことがあるようです。　例えば、サラリーマンやほかの通勤している人はたまに新聞や雑誌を読む代わりに、漫画を読むそうです。　欧米では、通勤している人が車内にコミックスを読み始めれば、周りの人に笑われるはずです。

それでは、あまり上手に説明できなく、その上に時間が少ないので、私にとって、そんなことは日本の興味のうちの一つです。　聞いてくださって、ありがとうございました　(*^_^*)

フ～～～ン

2007-02-12T21:15:00.000+09:00

日本語を読める読者があれば、久しぶり日本語で書かなかったので、ごめんなさい m(_ _)m　日本語で書くのは時間がかかり、いっぱい間違うものだ。。。

今はスピーチコンテストのスピーチを書いているところだ。　書き終わった後で、このサイテではこうと思うので、お楽しみにしてね！！　(^_^)ノ　へへ。。。木曜日に発表しなきゃ。。。だって嫌だもん　><

スピーチにちょっと満足していない。　僕の日本語能力がまだあまり高くないので、抽象的にあらわすことが難しい。　僕の書いたや話したことが子供っぽいということを感じている。。。

生活について大切で書きたいことがちょっとなさそう。。。学校を卒業後できる仕事を探しているのに、まだ見つからなかった。。。日本で働きたいけど、できるかどうか、今分からない。　ギャ～、仕事を探すこと、大嫌い。。。

一人でバレンタインデーを過ごすのも大嫌い。。。フ～ン。。。バレンタインズが近づくと、寂しさが増えている。。。 (T_T)

Setsubun / 節分

2007-02-02T21:25:00.000+09:00

Study, study, study. Yet again, not much to report, other than that we had a test this week and I scored 95% on the written portion (yay me) but only about 60% on the listening...I was well aware that my listening comprehension sucked a camel's ass in hoisin sauce, but damn...

Tomorrow is setsubun, the end of the old season and the start of the new. It is traditionally believed that this is the day on which all the bad spirits that have congregated in your home can be expelled by...throwing beans at them. Oh, and shouting "Demons out! Fortune in!" while doing so (obviously I'm paraphrasing greatly, but that's the gist). Or, at least according to Wikipedia, if you live in Aizu you can shout "Demon eyeballs, smash-smash!". Apparently it is also traditional to eat the same number of the irimame beans (which are roasted and not unlike peanuts, quite nice really) as years you have lived, but I can't say I entirely understand why.

Also, Japanese households symbolize this exorcism-for-all-the-family by having an unfortunate family member put on a demon mask (the more I think about this, the more it reminds me of Hallowe'en), and run around growling and generally spreading bad karma. This demon is then chased from the homestead by being pelted with beans. Surely this must give rise to all sorts of bean-related injuries every year, but who am I to argue with tradition.

As a footnote, the friend I mentioned in the previous post who applied to NHK wound up getting the job, and will later this month move to Toyama prefecture to become a full-fledged local newsreader, on TV and everything, so very well done to her. Ah, it's good to cultivate these showbiz connections...

...

2007-01-24T20:22:00.000+09:00

As you might gather from the post infrequency, there's not been too much to report as of late...just lots of study really, as well as occasionally seeing friends and such. This term is going well so far, and feels slightly less daunting than last term. I am studying manga comics in one of my elective classes and have been officially designated an otaku by the teacher of said class...even though she meant it as a kind of perverse compliment (she is one too and we have similar favorites), I don't read that much! Honest!

Still worried about my post-Yamasa future...I keep meaning to update my CV, search for jobs etc., but I haven't had the time...the whole resumé thing seems to be slightly different here. I saw the CV of a Japanese friend of mine the other week (who was in the process of applying to NHK)...she had to pick up a special resumé form (that you can get from any convenience store) and fill it out, by hand, with her academic background, employment history, personal statement and so on and so forth. And one has to do this for every job one applies for, apparently. Personally (mainly because my handwriting is abysmal) I prefer the good old word-processed, couple-of-pages-of-Times-New-Roman, references-that-you-haven't-spoken-with-in-10-years approach. Hey, it's gotten me work in the past...well, occasionally.

Well, better go...I have homework exuding from every orifice like some kind of homework-ridden Edgar Allen Poe nightmare creature...yes. Argh, must sleep.

First day o' term

2007-01-11T18:58:00.000+09:00

Term started today. Have passed the time thus far this week shopping, meeting a few people, overcoming jetlag, watching bad films and generally attempting to get my head back into Japanese mode...it's definitely been good to have a bit of time out before term started again to get myself re-adjusted.

So yes...to my surprise, in terms of classmates, my class this time round is exactly the same as last term's (with the exception of Stephanie-san, who sadly left). Quite why they've done this I don't know (they've always mixed us up each term in the past), but, since I really liked my old class, it's all good news (teachers are completely different this time around though). Also, this term we have the dubious honor of being 'H' class (each class is assigned a roman letter, 'A' being the top): 'H' transliterated into Japanese becomes etchi, which is also a kind of catch-all term for anything lewd, perverse, indecent or sexual. So that's us, we're the etchi class. Uh-huh-huh, uh-huh-huh-huh. Cool.

Happy new year!　/　あけましておめでとうございます

2007-01-07T11:21:00.000+09:00

Happy new year to all...

I am now safely re-ensconced in my little room in Okazaki after 2 weeks back in the UK visiting the fam, hence am feeling generally very jetlagged and uprooted at present. I didn't manage to sleep at all on the overnight 12hr return flight from London-Tokyo, and as a result my sleep cycle is completely shot...woke up at about 5am this morning. Hopefully I can realign it soon.

Anyway, except for the travelling and the tiredness caused thereby, I have had a very nice 2 weeks...very glad to have had the opportunity to see friends and family and to remind myself what life in the UK was like. I also had a good chance to relax. However, it being Christmas and all, I feel like I may have over-indulged on the food and beer fronts, and I worry that all the weight people kept telling me I'd lost is slowly returning to me...

My 2 weeks back have also, as I say, left me with a strange feeling of uprooted-ness, kind of like I don't know where home is any more...add to that the directionlessness and worry of not really knowing what I'll be doing in 3 months time (it looks like I'll be here for another 3 months unless I find a job or something by then) and we get a kind of feeling of discombobulation (now there's a word I should use more often).

So, nose goes well and truly back to the grindstone soon...I am a little worried (there's that word again) since all last term I felt like I was at the bottom of the class, was generally behind all my peers and was constantly playing catch-up...and now I have barely spoken, written or read a word of Japanese in the last 2 weeks (it just didn't seem...possible to even think about that stuff for most of the time I was away in a non-Japanese speaking country, if that makes any sense at all), so I'm afraid I'll be even further behind...

Oh yeah, and it's totally cold here and is actually snowing outside as I type! Criminy!!

バイバイ。。。

2006-12-20T22:07:00.000+09:00

明後日、クリスマスのために帰国の予定があります。　実は、今年の４月から日本にいましたから、すこし気にしています。　どうして気にしているかというと、日本の生活に慣れたとか、イギリスが外国になったのを感じているとかからだ。　ですから、私はイギリスに多くの時間を過ごしたのに、最近「どうだろうと思いますか」と考えることがあります。　それに、長い飛行機のせいで、イギリスに着くと、すごく疲れるになります。　しかし、家族と友達に会うことやゴロゴロすることなどを本当に楽しみにしています。　

じゃ、今学期がもう終わったな。。。皆さんと会うことをできなくなるのは悲しくて寂しく感じています。　先生達に感謝していて、Ｋクラスの皆さんのご活躍を祈りしています。　私のＹＡＭＡＳＡで勉強していた時間で、今学期は上位にランクされる。

2006-12-15T21:08:00.000+09:00

今学期の打ち切りに近づいていると、私はやはり段々悲しくなっています。　今学期は、難題が多くても、大体とても楽しくて、まだ終わりたくなかったです。

それに、学期の最後の日に休むことになったのは大変ものです。。。どうして休まなければならないかというと、２３日の朝、帰国の飛行機の予定があるからです。

じゃ、来学期を楽しみにします。　来学期の後は。。。ぜひ、ＹＡＭＡＳＡで続けたいと思うですけど。。。続けることができるかどうか、まだわからない。

2006-12-14T19:56:00.000+09:00

先週の間、期待していたほど大体元気になりました。　やる気も上がったし、好奇心の程度も上がったし。。。よかったね！　理由がなんとなく分からないけど、「頑張るぞ！」の感じを得た。　その気持ちに刺激されて、　来学期もより頑張りたい。

しかし、まだ勉強しすぎにより疲れることがある。　上に、冬が近づいているので、冬篭りをしたいです。

さぁぁ。。。今学期は２週間あとしかありませんね。　しかし、休みは本当に必要になったとおもいます。　休みに楽しみにしているのは、今学期がこれから本当に楽しかったのによく難しかったからだ。

よし、次の２週間、大切にしましょう！

2006-12-08T23:21:00.000+09:00

Sorry, once again, for not writing in such a long time. I know there are people who check this blog often (thank you!) and it feels slightly like I'm letting you down. It just hasn't really felt like I've had much to write about recently. Which is wrong, I've probably just not particularly felt like writing...

So...what have I been up to? School...seem to have managed to fight off the general feeling of burnt-outed-ness (sic) that I've been feeling over the last month or so, and this week has felt generally more enjoyable and productive.

Despite how it may seem on occasion, I am enjoying my time here and finding it very valuable...I can just get a little overly introspective at times I suppose. I've been thinking a lot about next term (Jan-Apr)...I'm pretty much at the bottom of my class right now, but I think I'd like to progress to the next level if at all possible...this term has been something of a baptism by fire

Other than school...I've been playing with my neighbor's Wii (innuendo ahoy!). I've also been reading (i.e. trying to read) lots of manga, primarily the very confusing Bushizawa Receive (大屋先生、　ありがとう ^_^) which is lots of fun, in a batshit-insane Japanese way. ひとみさんへ。。。僕、おたくじゃないぞ！！　本当に！！！　(・_・;)

My teaching work is kinda sparse at the moment...I do maybe 1 or 2 lessons a week if I'm lucky, but as long as the people I see find them useful, I enjoy giving them. In fact, one of my students (I'm sorry, I'm very hesitant to use terms like "lesson" and "student" since I don't feel even remotely like a teacher) is visiting the UK over new year's, which will be cool (that's when I'll bee there, see?).

The weather is getting cold...slowly descending into winter...きゃぁぁ、　寒い。。。Back in the U.S.S.K in a little under 2 weeks...scary...

duh

2006-11-29T20:52:00.001+09:00

今週、新しい髪形することにしました。　しかし、実際には好きかどうか、まだなんとなく分からない．．．

最近の気持ちについて、私の日本語能力への確信がだんだんなくなったを感じています。　このところが私の日本語を習う限界を信じることがあります。　頑張っていますが、いつもちょっとした間違っていて、ばか質問を聞いているような気がする。　勉強したことがわかりますが、　とても覚えられなさそうです。　特に会話をしているときに、よく困惑で、頭がクラクラするのを感じます。　そして、聴解練習ときによく聞き逃します。

学校の外の問題も重なりそうです。　お金も少ないし、ずっと寂しいし、悪い髪形も持っているし．．．

じゃ、も一度悲しい作文を出して、ごめんなさい．．．　m(_ _)m

チクチクになった

2006-11-27T22:24:00.000+09:00

So I've cut my hair short again...sadly this means that a) I look like the offspring of Action Man and Grant Mitchell and b) my encroaching baldness is lain bare for all to see (see diag.).

Thanks for the genes, dad!

nandemonai

2006-11-20T22:46:00.001+09:00

さあぁ、最近って、どうでした？　私によって、ずっと勉強した感じたのに、そんなことが実際にそうではありません。　前の週末、もう少し勉強すればよかったかもしれないのに、友達に会ったり、家でゴロゴロしったりしました。　

例えば、先週の金曜日、隣人の家でなべを食べて、楽しかったです。　それに、土曜日、王さんとアイドルさんと大屋先生と一緒に安城へ、漫画を買うために大屋先生で働いているＢＯＯＫ－ＯＦＦという古本屋へ行きました。　先生がオタクなので、おすすめに応じて様々ギャッグ漫画を買った。　その後、イタリ料理のアレストランで昼ごはんを食べた。　本当に楽しくて、買った漫画が面白そうです。

あいにく、今週の水曜日に会話テストがあるのに、少しだけ勉強できました。　しかし、日曜、私の英語を教えて知り合い友達に会って、日本語会話を練習しました。　その時も楽しかった　(新しい形容詞を教えてね．．．)。

会話テストに関して、気がちょっとしている．．．会話をする勇気ではなさそう．．．

I'm still here, honest

2006-11-20T19:58:00.000+09:00

Sorry for the lack of updates recently...

Ah, Monday again...weekend was nice...Friday, went to dinner at my neighbor's...Saturday, went to Anjo (the town next door) with 2 classmates and one of my teachers (a self-confessed otaku) to go manga shopping at the bookstore she works at...Sunday, met up with one of the people I've been teaching for a language exchange.

Don't really feel up to elaborating on these adventures right now, but will post more when I am less tired and when I don't have tests looming over the horizon...

In the meantime, for no reason whatsoever here are some cats that look like dictators:

I like the Lenin cat best.

2006-11-13T21:20:00.000+09:00

Apologies for the random picture of my room...was bored and feeling slightly odd I guess...

Today went well, by and large. Felt slightly less burnt out in general. Which was nice. Totally ballsed up a little keigo (respectful language) exercise however. So it goes...

In a vain attempt to lighten the recent mood of my blog, here is a cat in a toilet:

tententen

2006-11-12T00:31:00.000+09:00

...

2006-11-09T17:40:00.000+09:00

It's gotten cold suddenly...after 5 or so months of warm/hot weather, this comes as something of a shock...

Not much of interest to report, really...lots of study, going out occasionally, teaching occasionally. Still feeling slightly overwhelmed by my class perhaps...passed my last test but didn't really rate particularly well. Confidence levels aren't feeling particularly high (not that they ever were in the first place, I suppose).

Bought my ticket home for Christmas...will be home Dec 23rd-Jan 5th. Kinda worried about what to do after next April - currently I have no idea whatsoever. Could I get a job here with my fledgling Japanese ability? Keep meaning to look into it but time seems to be at a bit of premium.

Sorry for the slightly gloomy tone...I've just been feeling vaguely crappy over the last few days...y'know, nothing wrong in particular, just a general feeling of lethargy and unhappiness. Feeling kinda lonely and burnt out as well. Ho hum.

今週、突然涼しくなるのではないでしょうか。　暑い天気より、寒い天気が好きですけど、たったいま気持ちが不活発でさらに寂しく感じている。　理由がよく分からないけど、もうすぐ元気になるかもしれません。

最近、ＹＡＭＡＳＡを卒業の後ことを気になる。　多分、お金が少ないから、来年の４月にやめなければなりません。　その後、何をするか、全然分かりません。　日本で働きたいけど、　どんあ仕事をするかも全然分かりません。　それに、私の日本語性能も十分かどうか、分かりません。

クラスのことも気になる。　もちろん、心配しなければよくて、大体大丈夫なのに、時々心配きすぎて、どきどきすぎます。　そんな時、あまり覚えられないし、初級の日本語をよく使わないし、不満の感じが入るし。。。それに、慌てやすくなる。。。そんな時、ちょっとあきらめたい。

でも、クラスが好きで、ＹＡＭＡＳＡで勉強しているのは好機なので、その悪いことがほしくない。　どうしようかな。。。

Kure Kure Takora

2006-10-24T20:57:00.000+09:00

To answer any questions: to the below post pertains to cult 70's children's TV show, "Kure Kure Takora" ("Gimme Gimme Octopus"), which I've been watching again recently. It ran for about 250 3-min long episodes (of which I've probably watched about 30, hehe). The show chronicles the misadventures of a bright red kleptomaniac octupus and his friends, including his best friend Chonbo (a kind of anthropomorphic peanut/squash thing) and his love interest Monro (a pink walrus). Yes.

Here are some highlights (I didn't compile them) that will give you a feel for the show's somewhat questionable content:

Kure Kure is disgraced and is forced to commit harakari with Debora as his "backup".
Kure Kure and Chonbo work out a scam where they beat the shit out of the other
characters and then charge them exorbitant doctor's fees.
Kure Kure uses his Ninjitsu to impersonate other characters in a bid to spring
Chonbo out of jail.
Kure Kure and Chonbo take over To Ro Ro's spiritual medium/fortune teller business
(ie. they beat the shit out of him and take his business) with disastrous results.
Biragon snaps! After Kure Kure and Chonbo attempt to steal his marbles, he captures
Chonbo and threatens to dice him up with his katana.
Kure Kure and Chonbo spy on one of the Sea Cucumber Gang dancing around in a grass
skirt. What next transpires is one of the greatest battle royales in the show's
history where nearly every character wants in on the grass skirt!
Kure Kure and Chonbo find a fire extinguisher and go around spraying everyone's
food with it causing some of the villagers to get upset with them.
Debora decides to run a remedial math class for the village but he finds keeping
discipline in the classroom to be a problem.
Kure Kure sniffs too much incense at Debora's church and he begins to hallucinate
about what married life with Monro might be like.
Kure Kure proves once and for all that cowboys are tougher than samurais.
Kure Kure begins cross-dressing in an attempt to impress the other villagers, but
he's punished for gender transgression.
To Ro Ro uses a magic lantern to produce a robot servant. Behind Kure Kure's back,
Chonbo steals the lantern and gets the robot to do his laundry for him.

You can watch it on Youtube if you are that way inclined.

クレクレタコラ

2006-10-21T16:59:00.000+09:00

最近、もう一度「クレクレタコラ」というテレビ番組を見ていました。　１９７０歳代によってたしか作られました。　

その番組は、とても面白くて変な子供番組です。　しかし、キャラは簡単な日本語を使うので、日本語を勉強している人に教育的だ。。。そして、何てすばらしい主題歌でしょう。。。

主人公は赤くて、いつも「クレクレ！」と言っている蛸です。　その蛸は、いつもなんでもほしいので、よく何か掠め取っている。

タコラの友達や同じ森に住んでいるキャラもいます。　その蛸は、モンロちゃんというピンクな海象に愛している。　それに、タコラのベストフレンドはチョンボという南瓜のようなキャラです。

すじたては時にはちょっとあやしいのじゃないでしょうか。　各エピソードには、いつも泥棒事とか、三角関係（右絵）とか、麻薬のような事とか、死ぬ事とか、加害事などあります。　例えば、あるエピソードには、ビラゴンというキャラはタコラをはらきりをさせる。　それに、ほかのエピソードには、タコラは香煙を吸いすぎて、幻覚がします。　本当に子供の番組ですか？？

ＹＯＵＴＵＢＥでみえるよ。　タノシミＵＰ！！　；）　ＤＶＤ－ＢＯＸもあるけど、高いのじゃないでしょうか。。。

そして、今週末、私の姉はマラソンに参加します。　長さは10マイルスだ、すごいな！！！　お姉さん、頑張れ！！　ナイスガツ！！　ゲンキハッスル！！　；）

Week 2

2006-10-18T17:10:00.000+09:00

Things don't seem to be going too badly at the moment...class is still difficult but I feel like I'm learning a fair amount. I am also starting to get to know my classmates and teachers a bit better, they all seem like a nice bunch.

One exercise we did this week involved introducing an animal-based sayings (for example "water off a duck's back", "pearls before swine", "face like a bulldog chewing a wasp", etc etc). As is perhaps unsuprising, the Japanese have some fairly abstract ones; if your apartment is a bit pokey, you can say that it's as small as "a cat's forehead"...anyway, we had to introduce a saying from our own country and explain the meaning...for some reason that I still don't comprehend, I chose to explain "the dog's bollocks" to my captive audience...why, God? Why??

今週は、ここまで、かなりよかった。　新しいクラスと先生と知り合っていって、良いクラスのようなので、嬉しいだ。　そして、ここまで、今学期の事は、先学期のより、もう少しむずかしいのに、もう少し覚えやすく感じるです。　ですけど、まだ、頭が時々重くなる。。。その時、勉強して覚えるのは大変だよ。。。

昨日の動物の俚諺についての授業は面白かった。　欧米人では、日本の俚諺はちょっとおかしいのじゃないでしょうか。　たとえば、「猫の額」。　どうして猫の額？？　ほかの小さい物もありませんでした？？　ですけど、西洋の俚諺もおかしいと思う。　授業で、南イギリスの「dog's bollocks」というスラングを説明してみました。　きたないので、ちょっとはすかしかった。　日本語で、ほぼ「犬の睾丸」か｢犬の玉」だと思う。　「とてもいい」とか「とてもかっこい」という意味だ。　たとえば、大好きなサッカチームは上々なゴールをすれば、「あのゴール、犬の睾丸だったぞ！！」と言っています。　面白いね。。。＊＾＿＾＊

New term, 1st week

2006-10-14T20:14:00.000+09:00

1st week of my new class...one word summary: difficult! I am now officially intermediate (whoopee) which means harder textbooks, fewer handhold-y things like furigana, teachers using more complex language, having to express yourself in a more abstract manner, and so forth. It's all a bit different really...

My class is bigger this time round - 14 people as opposed to last term's 9...also I feel like class dunce as the 9 people in my class who are new arrivals at the school all seem waaaay better than me at everything, which is kind of disheartening, but may be beneficial as I am feeling motivated to study harder so as not to get left behind...we shall see.

So yeah, haven't been up to much else this week really...had a cold...went out a coupla times...having a 3-day weekend for some reason (yay)...it's all good I suppose. Apart from the cold, natch.

新しいクラスが難しいだぜ！！　「ニューアプローチ」という教科書は「みんあの日本語」よりずっとふくざつなんじゃないでしょうか。　ふりがなもないし、たくさん分からない言葉もあるし。。。

それに、新着のクラスメートはすごく上手なようだ！！　私はそれたちに比べて、分かる事が少ないので、頭が少し遅く感じる。。。

新しい学期

2006-10-09T21:31:00.000+09:00

さああ。。。休みはもう終わったな。。。

先週、二人イギリスの友達が日本へ来ました。　私は名古屋のセントレアにむかえました。　それから、岡崎に案内しました。　岡崎は観光できない町なのに、普通日本の町なので、日本へ来ない外国人では、かなり面白いと思います。

次、京都へ行きました。私は京都に一日だけいましたから、大変だな。　二つ、三つ所ぐらいにしか行けませんでした。　すごくきれいだし、おもしろいし、すごい市だと思うので、ぜひ、もう一回行きたい。

今日、面白い漫画を買いました。　「るすばんの達人」と言います。　大橋ツヨシによって書かれました。　とてもおかしいですけど、面白いです。　インターネットで、案内をぜんぜん見つけられません。　だれか、知っていますか？？

そして、今日、あるＥメールをもらいました。　来月、好きな音楽家、「中山双葉」、はもう一回名古屋へ行きます。　楽しみにしますよ。

Visit/end of holiday

2006-10-08T21:16:00.000+09:00

Well that's the end of the holidays...feel a little refreshed, I suppose...two friends from back home came to Japan on Thursday, and it was beneficial to hang out with them for a bit and travel a little and so forth.

I met them at Nagoya airport (always a pleasure to go there as it's so very nice), where they came after spending several weeks in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong and brought them back to Okazaki to show them around...Okazaki is by no means a hot tourist destination but it's quite interesting if you fancy seeing an ordinary, everyday, non-touristy Japanese town. We ate, drank, saw the castle, went shopping for Engrish t-shirts.

On Friday afternoon they went on to Kyoto to find a cheap hostel (there aren't any in Okazaki) and I joined them there the next morning. Kyoto is one of Japan's major cities; it was once the capitol (before Tokyo), and was spared bombing in WWII in order to preserve its many historical sites.

I arrived (obviously) at Kyoto station, which is hugely impressive (sorry, didn't get any pictures, try Google). We then went east and wondered around various temples and parks for several hours, including Ginkakuji temple and Maruyama park (see pic). We had lunch (okonomiyaki), did more wondering, and then headed west.

Next up was Ryoanji, a temple with a famous Zen-Buddhist rock garden, laid in the 1400s. I seem to enjoy such places for some reason, and as such I really liked it. Very tranquil.

After yet more wondering, we took in the shopping district, looking around any shops of interest we came across, and also an amusement arcade, to marvel at the kids playing such games as Dance Dance Revolution and the new Street Fighter at ridiculously high speed and accuracy. Then I headed to the station (my friends stayed and went on to Tokyo the next day) and arrived home at about 1am (I took the cheapest route, which takes about 3hrs). Even had an, erm, interesting conversation with some drunken businessmen on one of the trains back. All good speaking practice I suppose.

Kyoto was somewhere I'd wanted to go for ages and I am sad that I didn't really get to see much of it (I'd also like to see the nearby town of Nara, which is even older and less touristy). It seems to be an excellent place, somehow concatinating metropolis with beautiful historical sites. I hope to go back again someday, maybe I'll go live there, hehe.

Still, back to it tomorrow...I am slightly nervous as I will be meeting the people I will be spending the majority of the next 3 months with. I hope they are nice...

Er

2006-10-05T01:33:00.000+09:00

A few random Japan-related articles that I found interesting -

Tokyo Rose (aka Orphan Ann) Dies at 90
Mr. Tanaka (his English-language homepage is here)
Blood Types
Immigration
Man recites pi to 100,000 digits
Furiita
Hikikomori
Vending Machines of Japan

Sorry, I'm bored and can't sleep... ^_^;

Holiday gooood

2006-10-03T22:35:00.000+09:00

The holiday drags on. Have enjoyed the relaxation. I seem to have mainly spent it sleeping, generally relaxing, and watching Internet bootlegs of The Simpsons (take THAT, Rupert Murdoch!). Also been teaching on occasion. As a result of my teaching exploits, and thanks to my ever-generous parents, it's looking likely that I will do a 4th term here (go to the UK for Christmas and then return here until April). After that...who knows? Will probably have to find a proper job of some kind, pish.

Been trying vainly to revise over the last couple of days. It seems that I've forgotten most of last term's vocab. Which kinda sucks. At the end of last term we made our first inroads into the nice 'n' complex world of keigo, or polite/humble language. I find it slightly fascinating that the Japanese have a whole system of politeness built into their very language; in English we tend to just alter the sentence to express politeness/humility (i.e. "would you be so kind as to...?" vs. "please do..."), whereas in Japanese, there are a multitude of verb conjugations, special words and expressions etc. to use. You must also take into account the social status/relative position of the person you are speaking to, whether he/she is an "outsider", etc etc. There are both polite and humble forms of numerous verbs...try to imagine having to decide between three different words for "eat" or "give" or "look" or so forth, depending on who you are speaking to...yeesh, the whole thing makes my head hurt.

Well, must get back to my...not doing very much, I suppose.

End o' term

2006-09-23T23:13:00.000+09:00

That's another term finished...again, it felt very sad to say goodbye to my classmates...even though I'll see most of them next term in one form or another, people seem to have a nasty habit leaving just as I feel I'm getting to know them (the term system here works on a 3 monthly-basis and you can do as many or as few as you wish - so there are always people leaving at the end of each term).

It has, however, meant that I have been able to have a nice restful day of doing absolutely nothing for the first time in I can't really remember when (in reality, about a month or so, has just felt like much longer). No work today as the school isn't running classes for some undisclosed reason. Tomorrow is my last day, as I think I mentioned earlier I'm quitting to do private lessons, also to get my weekends back (I feel my relaxation and study levels suffered heavily last term as a result of my work). It's by no means been a bad job or a bad place to work; I just get into this huge nervous mess over it every weekend, and I'm feeling completely burnt out from it.

Still, my birthday was a lot of fun. It was a former classmate's birthday on the same day so a large group of us went bowling in nearby Anjo and then returned to Okazaki for beer & food with a couple of our teachers (photos by my classmate Zoe, cheers!). Thanks to all back home for presents/cards/well wishings etc. as well.

My oldest sister is getting married right about now, which obviously sucks for me as I am on the other side of the globe. My accursed lack of money and time strikes once again. Still, all the best to Nic and Gareth (kumbyah!, and various other bastardizations to the happy couple).

今学期、おわったね～；＿；。　すごく早かった。　そして、「さよなら」と言う事はいつも大変だな。。。じゃ、みんな、がんばりなさい。。。

私の姉へ、「おめでとうございます」。　今日は姉の結婚式です。　しかし、私は日本にいますから、私では大変です。　日本へきた時はちょっとふべんですねえ。。。かなしくなりましたね。。。

それに、　私は家族の一人独身になりました。　私、恋人がないし。。。もうさびしくなりましたね。。。いつも、日本語で、本当の気持ちを言い表せない。。。

しかし、友達がいますから、幸せです。　私とマリエさんの誕生日パーテイはとても楽しかったです。　みんなさん、ありがとう。。。

Template change

2006-09-15T23:55:00.000+09:00

I changed the template because the last one kind of...disappeared. どうして？　わからない。。。

あ、涼しい～♪

2006-09-15T22:24:00.000+09:00

夏がやっと終わったようです。　涼しくなって、気持ちがもう少しよくなりました。　今週、雨が降って曇りでしたので、　イギリスと少し同じだった　へ＿へ

先週は今学期の最後の週間です。　悲しくて、終わりたくないのに、少し休みは必要だと思います。　それから、二週間休みを楽しみにしている。　ゆっくり休んだり、少し働いたり、勉強したりしようと思っています。　そして、１０月の始めるのに、イギリスの友達（ポールさん）は日本へ来ます。　面白そうです。

先週は私の誕生日です。　２７歳になります。。。時間は、どこへ行きましたか。。。

今週、ある羽田先生の授業は俳句についてでした。　昔買ったドラえもんの詩本を思い出しました。

俳句の本じゃなくても、役に立つでしょう。　少なくとも、可愛いね。

ですけど。。。これ、少し怪しいでしょう。。。

Hassles from The Man

2006-09-12T21:59:00.000+09:00

Something mildly strange happened the other day: I was cycling across town in a completely normal and inconspicuous manner when I was suddenly questioned by a policeman while waiting at a crossing. He started asking me if it was my bike, where I got it from, if I had the keys etc.; I answered all his questions and he gave me the "please go away" hand signal, which I took to mean that I was off the hook. I just can't help thinking - why? Because I'm a foreigner, did he assume that my bike was stolen? Even though my bike is a pile of ass that no-one would ever bother to steal? Either way, I got to feel briefly like a repressed minority! Now I can understand what all those NWA songs are about! A young brutha got it bad coz I'm white!

Still busy...end of term rapidly approaching + increasing amount of teaching work = aneurysms aplenty. Next week is my birthday though, yippee. Don't know what I'll be doing, don't really care just so long as it involves drinking substantial quantities of beer.

2006-09-04T20:55:00.000+09:00

Had kind of a sucky weekend all in all, really. On Saturday night, I got completely idiotically lost going from the school I teach at to the station, consequently missed the last train home, and was forced to spend the night in Toyohashi. Huge chunks of my weekend disappeared, I got tired and stressed out, missed my former-classmate's sayonara party, and I got hardly any study done. The lessons on Sunday went well though and it actually felt as though my students were learning the things I've been trying to teach them, which is a great feeling. Still, I've been thinking about quitting the school job and sticking with private students for the time being. It's an OK gig but Toyohashi is too far away, teaching children makes me too nervous, and it's having a derogatory effect on my studies and my energy levels.

So yeah, just tired and busy really (again). Have developed a strange craving for a soft drink named Calpis (pronounced Cal Piss, unfortunately). It's a slightly sticky white liquid (get that smirk off your face) with a sweet, fruity kind of taste. Hard to describe, but it's somehow very nice. There's also Diet Calpis, which doesn't taste half as bad as I was expecting it to (the main attraction of Calpis is the huge amount of sugar it doubtlessly contains).

土曜日の夜、仕事をする学校から豊橋駅まで行く時に、道が迷った。　それから、さいしょの電車に遅れました。　すごくバカですね。　豊橋に止まらなければならないので、　つかれて悲しくなりました。　大変でしたけど、大丈夫です。　

しかし、先週末の私を教えたじゅぎょうはよかったと思います。　でも、学校でつずけるかどうか、考えて、分かりません。　豊橋も遠いし、子供もこわいし、勉強するのは少ししかできないし。。。それから、当分、自分と勉強する事のために、ポライバットじゅぎょうだけを教えるのほうがいいと思います。

さいきん、私では、カルピスがとてもおいしくなりました！　どうして？　分からない。。。

2006-08-31T23:47:00.000+09:00

It's been September for one day and already the weather seems to be changing. Woke up this morning to very heavy rain (which I had to go to school in), and I've just (8pm) been to the store and the temperature is actually approaching what could be described as "cool". This is very good news.

Sounds cliché, but I can't believe how quickly this term has gone. Last term seemed to go really slowly (in a good way), but this one still feels to me like it's only just started. However, it turns out that I only have 3 weeks left.

I'm enjoying things in general. It's just kind of hard having to work at the same time as studying, especially when the work in question makes you incredibly nervous. I think I'm finding that sometimes I'm lacking the energy and time to study by myself as much as I'd like. And relaxation is at a bit of a premium. But in a perverse kind of way, I'm kind of enjoying having a lot of challenges.

やっと、ＤＳライトを見つけました！　すごい楽し。　今日、昼休みにクラスの友達といっしょにマリオカートをしました。　もちろん、僕、勝ちました。　：）

天気はもうすこし涼しくなりそです。　うれしいだね。　できれば、夏はもうすぐおわります．．．

あとしか３週間ぐらいがありませんね．．．早かったですよ．．．今学期の勉強するのは、まだよくない吸収しました（覚えました？）。　新しい言語を覚えるのは長い時間とよく使用がかかると思いました。　国へ帰ったあとで、忘れないために、日本語を話す機運(opportunity)をさがそうとおもっています。

A riddle

2006-08-31T17:04:00.000+09:00

What's shiny and purple, lives in my pocket and brings me hours of pleasure when I get it out and play with it? That's right, it's my new DS Lite! Yes, I actually managed to find somewhere with one in stock, so I thought I'd treat myself to an early birthday present :) . It's dead sexy and the dictionary software is very nice and should be incredibly useful. It's still not as cool as my Atari Lynx though, obviously.

I find that I keep pondering the aspects of my appearance that make me feel conspicuous here. For example, I get quite embarrased about my left-handedness. I am informed that left-handedness is pretty much forbidden here (and, indeed, in the rest of Asia), and that children who show left-handed tendencies are "corrected" (the verb usually used by people in this context is 直す, meaning to correct/cure) as they grow up. I feel so conspicuous that I might start trying to use chopsticks with my right hand.

I finally got round to opening a bank account here, with the bank down the road from school. They gave me a box of tissues. The mind boggles, quite frankly.

2006-08-26T19:47:00.000+09:00

The teaching continues afoot. I've also hooked up with a few private students via findateacher.net. Still very nerve-racking, don't think I could do it as a profession. ANOTHER test on Monday as well so I've been feeling a bit stressed out all in all. We've been covering lots of complicated stuff very quickly so...not really sure how well I'll do.

I've been hoping to pre-emptively blow my first wage packet on a Nintendo DS Lite. Sadly though they are immensely popular and thus famously elusive. I primarily want one so I can use it as a denshijisho (electronic dictionary) - there is a tasty dictionary/kanji recognition package available for it, and DS + dictionary software is about the same price as a proper low-mid range electronic dictionary. Plus, this way I could play Mario Kart on the train, gnarly.

However, I can't find the buggers anywhere. Well, not in Okazaki, at least; could probably get one in Nagoya but I'm not headed that way soon.

o(>< )o ｏ( ><)o キャ～、テスト、テスト、いつもテストがある！　月曜、ふくざつなみんあＩＩ第３６－４０課のテストがありますから、心配している。　だれか、助けて！！　日本語が上手ようになりたい。。。しかし、時々無理だとおもいます！それに、まだ仕事をしています。　面白くても、ドキドキしているし、先生の事も知らないし、ストレスになっている。　うわ～、休みがほしい～。。。

このごろ、少しお金をもらいましたから、ニンテンドＤＳライトを買いたいでした。　電子辞書ソフトがあるから、やくにたつだと思います。　しかし、すごく人気があるから、買うのは大変です。　岡崎でさがしても、なにもありません。　それに、インターネットでさがしても、なにもありません。　なぜ？？　マリオカートをしたい！　大変だ！！

Andy-sensei

2006-08-21T20:52:00.000+09:00

It's been a busy couple of days...I have started a little weekend job, teaching English at a teeny-tiny little school in Toyohashi, which is about 30 mins down the train line...it's kind of far (usually takes upwards of an hour in total to get there) and very nerve-racking - I have no confidence or experience in the area of teaching, and although the classes only consist of one or two people, it's still difficult if like me you are kinda quiet and scared of people...still, I think it will be good for me...and, much more importantly, it means... $$$MONEY!!!$$$

So on top of a stressful weekend spent worrying about my job I had a test re-sit today...I have ANOTHER test next Monday as well, so I need to spend pretty much all this week revising. Still, I think we've almost finished the different verb forms, so things might become slightly easier...maybe >_<;;

まだ、豊橋の英語先生の仕事をしています。　週末だけするアルバイトです。　僕、アンディー先生になったー　＾＿＾

仕事は難しくても、面白いです。　私は声がちょっと小さいし、自信がないし、仕事するのはすごいドキドキになる。　でも、新しい人に会ったり、経験を積めたりできます、面白いとおもいます。　それに、お金だぞ！！　¥＿¥

しかし、豊橋は少し遠いです。　家から学校まで１時間ぐらいかかります。　まだ、もっと近い仕事をさがしています。

私の学校のサイトはこちらです。

Oh the humidity!

2006-08-16T23:15:00.000+09:00

Yeah so it's still hot here, suprise suprise...and veeeeery humid. I think I've become a little more accustomed to hot weather since coming here...time was when intense heat for me meant recurrent headaches and constant lethargy...and that side of things hasn't been too bad so far. (Not to get too gross here, but) it's just the constant sweatiness I can't be doing with. Go outside, make the slightest effort towards exertion and...splat! you're drenched in your own juices. Yeah, maybe I should just change the subject.

So the course is...hmm. Recently I've been feeling like I don't know anything and can't learn anything. I have moments of lucidity, but they come and go, and the majority of the time my brain feels as though it is swamped in a quagmire (giggidy!) of half- or non-remembered words and grammar. Also, I think half of the problem is that I don't really know how to study very effectively by myself. And I do still want to learn, but...sometimes I feel the passion that I once had for the subject wane, which is kinda worrying.

So life often feels like a constant stream of uphill struggles right now. No money, no job prospects, no time, no intimacy, constant heat, numerous anxieties, a brain that doesn't want to/is unable to learn things...yeah. Still, gambatte-ne, Andy-san.

Sorry, needed to moan, I think.

お盆休みはほとんどゆっくり休んでいました。　でも、きのう友達と名古屋へいきました。　ブラジリアのレストランで昼ごはんをたべたり、買い物をしたりしました。　それに、先週の金曜日豊橋へ先生仕事を知に行きました。　でも、ちょっとだめだったと思います。　私は先生じゃないと思います。

最近、生活はちょっと大変でした。　時々、勉強することが覚えられないし、授業やテストやしゅくだいでよく間違えるし、学校はよくむずかしくて私はばかみたいな感じがする（？）。　それに、いつも暑いし、お金がないし、さびしし。。。時々あきらめたいだな。

あ．．．つ．．．い～　＞＿＜；；；

2006-08-09T15:19:00.000+09:00

Okazaki was almost hit by a typhoon yesterday/ today. Apparently there are 3 of them stalking around Japan right now, and the imaginitively-named Typhoon No. 7 (don't ask me what happened to 1 thru 6) swung juuuust past us. Shame really, would've been a bit of excitement. Oh well, at least it gave me a good opportunity to learn the kanji for "typhoon" (台風).

So, instead of wind and rain (which might well have made me homesick, I suppose, being British and all) today we have had intense heat and humidity. Looks like it's gonna be this way (and possibly worse) for at least another month, so spare a thought for poor little me while you sit basking in the coolness of your temperate zones.

Another test tomorrow. Finding it very difficult to remember things sometimes. Especially adverbs, for some reason. Two such that I often get confused are "taitei", which means "usually/in general" (in frequency terms); and "daitai" which means "generally/the outline". Hopefully you can see where I'm having problems. Also, many seem to have several meanings, just to make things more confusing. For instance "zutto" can mean "a lot more than", "for a long time", "direct", and God only knows what else.

Still, bank holidays next Monday and Tuesday, as it's obonyasumi. This is the Buddhist festival of the dead (cheery!) in which one is supposed to return to one's ancestral home, visit the graves of one's relatives, light bonfires to guide the spirits home, and dance a nice bonodori. As for me, I think I'm off to Nagoya instead with some classmates. 　And no doubt sleeping a lot.

Also, the lovely Hada-sensei informs me that she can't access this site right now...anyone else having problems?

昨日、岡崎に台風が危うく振っていました。　台風７号でした。　台風１－６について、どこへ行った？？　分からない。

キャ～、最近、いつも暑いだぞ！！　イギリス人では、暑すぎると思います。　イギリスに、夏は大体１ヶ月ぐらいかなり暑いです。　それに、日光になかなかやけどをしています。　だから、日中、出かければ、少し痛くなります。　大変だね。

明日はそらにもう一つの(yet another)テストがあります。　最近、勉強することが覚えられないと思います。　言葉や形やルールなどすごく多いだから、難しくて大変だよ。　それに、副詞もよく間違っています。　例えば、私では「たいてい」と「だいたい」が特に難しい。　意味と読む方はちょっと同じですから。

じゃ、来週はお盆休みです。　よかった．．．休みが入用だな．．．
友達と名古屋へ遊びに行こうと思っています。

岡崎花火大会　/ Okazaki Fireworks Festival

2006-08-06T13:27:00.000+09:00

Yesterday was an obscenely hot Saturday and also Okazaki's fireworks festival. As one of the few things Okazaki is known for is it's fireworks industry, this festival is a big deal and is attended by hundreds of thousands of people.

So it was very crowded, and very hot, but I enjoyed it. The fireworks were pretty amazing. I went with a large group of fellow students and we grabbed a place by the river, but myself and a couple others moved after some people who had resevered the space beforehand turned up. So, I wound up watching most of the action from the bridge (where you weren't techincally allowed to stand and watch, but many people did, despite the repeated entreaties from the police to keep moving).

I managed to shoot some dodgy video from our temporary position on the bridge, and I've uploaded it to YouTube, watch it here. My camera sucks and there are people in the way, but it gives you some idea I suppose. Also, in the background you can hear the PA system (which periodically played music, adverts and announcements) playing none other than everyone's favorite 1980s German disco muppets, Dschinghis Khan!!! (who were also responsible for cult camp euro-disco classic, Moskau). Rock and Roll!!

昨日、岡崎花火大会へ行きました。　楽しかったですけど、　天気も暑いし、　人もすごく多いし、　ちょっと苦しかった。　でも、　ゆかた着ってきれいな女の人も多いから、　よかったです。

花火はとても印象的だったと思います。　岡崎の花火は有名ので、　やっぱりすごいでした。　たくさん見た人はよく「すご～い！」と言っていました。

大部花火がはしからみました。　短いビデオを撮りました。　私のビデオはＹＯＵＴＵＢＥで見えます、　こちら。　ですけど、　ちょっと悪い。。。

まんが：　服も脱がずにコーヒーができるかー！！

2006-08-03T17:50:00.000+09:00

最近、　いくらあまり分からなくても、時々漫画を読んでいる。　例えば、「クレヨンしんちゃん」。　いくら日本語がとても悪くてバカ漫画ですけど、　しんちゃんはおもしろいし、　きょうみもあるしと思います。　しんちゃんの地口(pun?)はよく面白い。　そして、　わたしはしんちゃんに学校で習わないし大切し言葉を習っている。。。例えば、　「オシッコ」や「ちんーちん」や「ウンチ」など。　たいせつです、　覚えてください。

しかし、　最近の私の一番面白い漫画は「セクシーコマンドー外伝：すごいよ！！マサルさん」だ　(英語で)。　ずっと前、マサルさんのアニメを見ました、　だから、　日本へくる時、　漫画を読みたかった。　とても面白くてたのしい漫画と思くても、　すごくおかしです。　意味がぜんぜんありませんから、　ぎ言だ。　物語はナンセンスだけど、　キャラや言葉は滑稽です。

YOUTUBEで見えます。

日本語

2006-08-03T00:54:00.000+09:00

Just a quick note: this blog was originally intended as a means of keeping the folks back home up to date on what I was up to, but as it is now being read by various Japanese speakers (friends, teachers at my school, etc.), plus because it's good practice, I will occasionally attempt to write entries in Japanese. If you don't have Japanese fonts installed on your computer, these entries will probably show up as a bunch of question marks or something.

Ja!

今から、時々ブロッグに日本語で書くつもりです！　きっと、まだ上手じゃないから、よくまちがっています。。。だから、日本語話す人、私に正してあげてくださいませんか。

じゃねー♩

バルコニー

2006-08-02T21:16:00.000+09:00

Just wanted to say: haha, I have a balcony and you don't (probably). Pwned!

Not to gloat but I sit out here and study most nights and it's jolly clement - except, that is, for the a**holes who keep tooling up and down my road on ridiculously loud motorbikes. I convinced this town has a roaming gang of biker yakuza or something; bikes are everywhere, and it seems to be a case of the louder the better. And now I've said that they're probably gonna track me down and cut my fingers off or something.

Fiddle-dee-dee

2006-07-30T18:29:00.000+09:00

Yep, not much happening really, sorry. Thought I'd better write something though.

I understand Britain is in the midst of a heat-wave? Well we're kind of having one here as well, except it's called "summer". So don't expect any sympathy from me. Plus you don't have the constant chirping of crickets day and night. The average daytime temperature here is about 35°C, but as it's been quite hot generally for several months I think I am a bit more used to it. The humidity hasn't been so bad thus far but we have the whole of August to go yet...

But enough about the weather. Course is going well, new material is interesting, but I don't know how I'll ever get my head around transitive/intransitive verbs. Had a written/listening test last week, speaking test tomorrow, tests tests test(e)s. Still no job but I tend to keep putting it off.

Also I think now that I am going to stay here for another term (i.e. until January) or maybe two (i.e. until April). Hopefully I will be able to come home for Christmas as it would just be too depressing spending it alone in a country that doesn't really celebrate Christmas (apparently Christmas Eve here is a kind of Valentines Day-esque celebration for couples, and then Dec 25th is business as usual- however, the commercial sector still has a large hand in things, it seems).

So what's on the cards for the next week or two? Study and heat, pretty much. Next weekend is the grand Okazaki Fireworks Festival, which I think I'm going to. Okazaki has the country's leading firework industry and the festival is usually attended by about half a million people. Apart from that, there is another string of bank holidays coming up in the middle of August, maybe I'll do something for that.

Keitai woes

2006-07-15T16:37:00.000+09:00

First week of term went well. New class and new teachers all seem really cool. We are covering the entirety of our textbook this term, which was a suprise; I was expecting that we would only do half of it.

Went out last night to celebrate my teacher-from-last-term's birthday, which was fun. Afterwards went out with a friend from my old class to a small pub. The pub in question has it's own darts team, and they were showing televised darts; I didn't realise darts was played professionally here, but there you go. The games on TV were soft-tip darts, which is a bit of a travesty really. The players all give themselves comical l33t-speak pseudonyms, like "D-SK" and "Ultra"; they also kept flashing completely incomprehensible terms like "WHITE HORSE" and "LOW TON" on the screen - I assume these are the equivalent of 180s, bulls-eyes and so forth. Could've benefited from some Jim Bowen/Bobby George action if you ask me.

The only other news really is that I've bought myself a mobile phone. I figured I could really use one if I want to get into teaching English, so I went and acquired a cheap pre-pay thingy. Now, I come from a country where mobiles are very simple - as far as pre-paids go, any old Tom Dick and Harry can buy one, put some credit on it, and bang, they're sorted. They can send texts and their credit doesn't expire. Not so in Japan. Firstly, I steered clear of subscription phones because frankly the price plans were just completely bewildering (despite information being available in English), and for me, as I won't use it much really, it probably would've wound up being more expensive; despite the fact that (I think) there's some kind of student discount, but you have to sign up for a year or more to get it.

So I went for a cheap-ish purii-paido. And I'm sorry, but the system here is really pretty riduclous. Exhibit A: the credit you buy expires within 3 months, whether you've used it or not. Exhibit B: the text messaging system is completely retarded. There are many different types - "Sky Mail", "Long mail", "Long e-mail" and quite possibly others. You have to set up an e-mail address (different from your number) to which texts are sent. There is an extra subscription charge which you have to pay in order to be able to receive texts. When a text is received, you are sent a message by the centre informing you of this and showing you the first few lines of the message; you then have to send them a request saying that you want to receive the message; the message is then sent to you at a cost. Exhibit C: No games!!! Exhibit D: the system for the Tokai area (where I am) seems to be completely different to the rest of the country for some reason, and I don't think I can buy credit anywhere else. Exhibit E: after your credit has expired, if you don't buy more within a set period of time (several months, I think), your phone becomes invalid and you'd probably have to buy a new one. Exhibit F: there's a whole application procedure to go through if you want to get one in the first place. And I could go on but I won't.

On the plus side, my phone does some pretty illin' ringtones, my favorite being one entitled "THE JAZZ MAN".

Also, it's really, really hot here at the moment. Curse you, summer.

aki-aki

2006-07-08T01:19:00.000+09:00

I apologise that the last post wasn't quite in keeping with the sophisticated highbrow travel musings that you've come to expect from this blog...it was 2:30am, I'd had a few cans of "the third beer". Apologies also that I once again haven't been writing much, but life has (once again) been uneventful recently.

Wellll the summer break is just about over...back to work on Monday...I've picked up next term's textbook, it looks scary...imperative and prohibitive forms, interrogative conditional forms, transitive/intransitive verbs, volitional forms...no I don't have much of an idea either, but I'll soon be studying them, and in Japanese no less...

I'm glad to see that we'll be covering a few giongo (onomatopaeic terms) as well. There are hundreds of the buggers in Japanese and to the average westener (well, me at least) they seem completely abstract and arbitrary, but at least they are usually quite cute and funny. For example, cats in Japan don't meow, they say nya-nya; and footsteps make a teku-teku sound. They don't just have words for sounds either - they also use onomatopaeic terms for emotions and states of being: for example peko-peko is the "sound" of being hungry; kyoro-kyoro is to be restless/looking around frantically, and waku-waku is to be excited . As in: "I'm feeling a bit waku-waku". OK maybe not then. Here's a page of them if you're at all interested.

But anyway, I haven't done much with the break, other than sleep, revise and attempt to look for jobs. But it's kinda hard when you can't actually read job adverts, and I haven't really come up with much. So I'm still broke off my ass and at the moment it looks like I'll either follow the stereotypical gaijin route of teaching English, or I'll be working in McDonalds or something. So I know which one I'd rather do. Although, if I worked in Mc D's, maybe I'd get the chance to meet Ebi-chan.......oh, Ebi-chan......*sigh* . Anyway, does any of my faithful readership have any work I can do for them online?? :D :D :D Proofreading, anything? Me is gud at teh english.

Luiz Felipe Scolari = Gene Hackman?

2006-07-02T02:28:00.000+09:00

I was watching the England-Portugal match and I happened to uncover a conspiracy of X-Files proportions!

Also: England, losing a penalty shootout? Surely not!

Word o' the day

2006-06-27T15:01:00.000+09:00

One of several terms for earwax is 耳糞 (mimikuso), literally "ear-sh*t".

Last day of term

2006-06-23T18:44:00.000+09:00

So that's the end of the first term. Quite sad really. Now I have two weeks with absolutely nothing to do before the next one starts. I'm slightly dreading it to be honest - many people I know (of the ones who are going to be here next term, anyway) are going off travelling here and there, but as I'm broke I can't really do anything much. I intend to pour my efforts into job hunting as of tomorrow.

I got my term-wide results today. Out of a ratings system spanning A+ to D, I got a B overall. I'm slightly baffled as I think I was rated A in everything apart from speaking (which was a B), yet I still end up with a B overall. Hey ho.

So I am sad that my little class is no more. Even so, I'll probably be with most of them next term, but we'll have different teachers and such.

Also I am a bit sad that Japan is out of the world cup...it's quite big here and the fans seem really into it, but that fat git Ronaldo had to go and put two away, and now Brazil will go and win like they always do. Yawn.

Argh

2006-06-19T16:53:00.000+09:00

Quick post to whinge about the heat. At least it's not too humid today but all that will no doubt change. Aiieee, dwelling on the weather, how very British.

Actually I was just looking on the NHK website (NHK is roughly the Japanese equivalent of the BBC) for a weather report and I found this frankly intruiging page dedicated to English language study. The cat/dictionary thing is pretty freaky. Also it's very comforting to discover that the Japanese probably have as much trouble with English particles (to, for, of etc.) as we (or at least I) do with Japanese ones (は、が、を、に、で　etc., curse them all).

Also I was sent this picture of the three musicians from the gig I went to on Sunday and it made me chuckle.
http://ic3.mixi.jp/photo/diary/54/77/157555477_58.jpg

Rain & tests

2006-06-18T18:53:00.000+09:00

Tsuyu (the rainy season) has well and truly kicked in it seems, so the weather at the moment is usually rainy and humid. Although very occasionally it's not rainy but still humid. Goddamnit I love aircon.

Once again I haven't been up to much, but yesterday evening I braved the rain to take myself to go see some music at a club in Nagoya called the Tokuzo, which bills itself as "good booze, cheap foods and hip music". Cool place, quite intimate (about 150-200 people capacity). I went because Nakayamafutaba (a sweet Osakan girl who plays twee songs by herself on a half-size guitar), Jojo Hiroshige (longtime lynchpin of the Japanese underground) and Keiji Haino (another longtime lynchpin of the Japanese underground) were playing and I like all three of them very much. Hiroshige and Haino's music is hard to describe but is usually experimental and noisy. I won't bore you with a review but Haino in particular was in fine form, and I had a great evening.

What also struck me was how reserved the audience (consisting mostly of Japanese hipsters; I think I was the only gaijin there) was. There was no cheering, no real movement (not that this was really music you could dance to) - just polite applause.

Anyway I have a couple of tests tomorrow so back to the books...sadly one of them is a conversation test, which I always dread...hey ho.

Oh yes, I am also now the proud owner of a "witty" trash can. Seriously, the 100-yen shops here are real Engrish goldmines.

Tum tee tum

2006-06-12T19:29:00.000+09:00

So I thought I'd post and say that, erm, not much has been happening recently. Just lots and lots of study, really. I feel that things are definitely progressing, skill-wise. I've so far learnt to write/recognise about 200 kanji (the squiggly character things) - just another 1800 to go then!!! Hard to believe term is almost over (week after next, I think).

So yeah, haven't been up to much. I seem to have been doing a lot of aimless wandering about town and Nagoya for this reason and that, shopping and stuff mostly. Any anime nerds in the audience will no doubt be pleased to note that I bought myself a Catbus (see pic). Yes I'm a huge gay.

Went out with the class & teachers last Thursday, which was fun (see other pic).

Andy's Jap Blog

Oh!

May

Golden Week Day 1

Can't think of a title

Crap Fact 'o' the Day

Year 3

Shameless nepotism

Hello

Still alive

Hello (again)

Hello

Watermelon Flavoured Kit-Kat

Oh the humidity!

Hello

Reporting in

Word o' the day

Yamasa

GW

昭和の日 / Showa day

大掃除 / Spring cleaning

Hanami ・ 花見

Fun with commuting

Word o' the day

擬態語・擬音語

２年間

読解力を向上しよう

ご迷惑をお掛けして誠に申し訳ございません

Youtube videos ahoy!

Blog resurrection GO! (kinda)

Iiiii'm dreamiiiiing of a whiiiiite...er...February 9th

Happy new year! 明けましておめでとうございます！

New job etc.

Life in limbo/Trip to Nagano-ken

Movin' on

Final week

エンジンぬいぐるみ！？

ピックルです！

More guff

Summer

ご無沙汰してしまって、どうもすみません

!!!

Word o' the Day

五月病 (>_<)

Hello!

New term

Kyoto

春休み （継続）

Spring break / 春休み

End o' term (again)

スピーチ

フ～～～ン

Setsubun / 節分

...

First day o' term

Happy new year! / あけましておめでとうございます

バイバイ。。。

duh

チクチクになった

nandemonai

I'm still here, honest

tententen

...

Kure Kure Takora

クレクレタコラ

Week 2

New term, 1st week

新しい学期

Visit/end of holiday

Er

Holiday gooood

End o' term

Template change

あ、涼しい～♪

Hassles from The Man

A riddle

Andy-sensei

Oh the humidity!

あ．．．つ．．．い～ ＞＿＜；；；

岡崎花火大会 / Okazaki Fireworks Festival

Hanami　・　花見

五月病　(>_<)

春休み　（継続）

Happy new year!　/　あけましておめでとうございます

あ．．．つ．．．い～　＞＿＜；；；

岡崎花火大会　/ Okazaki Fireworks Festival

まんが：　服も脱がずにコーヒーができるかー！！